Book One- The Kingdom or The Prince?
by LitaWheeler1119
Summary: When Arcadia and Ariston, Siblings of the Earth Kingdom, Meet Sokka and Katara, They are faced with the challenge of helping the Avatar in his quest to master all 4 elements before time runs out. Ari is struggling with his family history and Cadi can't keep her feelings separated. Old series Revision. Still Same but BETTER on my NEW account! ZukoxOC M - Language and Sexual content
1. The Boy in the Iceberg

Blue lightning shot from her hand toward the man in black. He dodged it like all the others, but she struck him where it hurt when she aimed her lightning at the girl only meters behind him. Both eyes wide, he ran to catch the blue bolt before it hit. He jumped for the girl's life and fell helplessly to the ground. She cried out his name and ran to his side.

"I'm so sorry. I should've stayed away. Please be okay." She held is unmoving head in her hands and watched for any slight movement, but he never moved. She cried harder. "Please. I Love you."

With that, she kissed his un-parted lips one more time and walked to meet his killer's uncaring eyes and watch her die in flames.

3 YEARS EARLIER

Long ago, the legendary Avatar kept the world and its four nations at peace with each other. However, the Avatar disappeared one hundred years ago and hasn't been seen since. During that time, the tyrannical Fire Nation used the opportunity to wage war with the other three nations, seeking to conquer them. One hundred years passed and people began to lose hope that the Avatar would ever return and bring peace back to the world. But we never lost hope.

"Seriously Ari, chill out. We've seen almost every nation there is and there were plenty of cold places."

"Not like this there wasn't. I don't think the North Pole was this cold before." Ariston said to his sister. His black hair was almost to his jaw line and his red eyes burned for the heat of the sun. His lips parted as his teeth clenched to stop chattering. His blue Water Tribe outfit should have helped in the cold, but it didn't do much.

"Yes, I miss the North Pole. It wasn't boring. I miss home more though. After we're done here we can go back to the warmth of the Earth Kingdom." Her green eyes sparkled at the thought of home and her red hair blew in the wind as she and her brother sailed to the South Pole for shelter for the night.

There was yelling and ice shattering in the distance.

"What was that?" Ari asked.

"I'm standing right here, it's not like I know." Arcadia had a way with sarcasm that after a while only Ariston could stand.

"Right. Bend us over there." Arcadia glared at him. He knew why but he just smiled at her like it was the funniest thing in the world.

The fire nation colors on Arcadia and water tribe colors on Ariston were deceiving. Only because Arcadia was the water bender and Ariston was the fire bender.

She steers the boat down a path of ice blocks and ends up watching two water tribe people attacking the ice.

"What idiot hits ice?"

"Bored idiots, perhaps?" Ari suggested. "Let's go see."

"No way. It's people like them that make me embarrassed to be a water bender."

The ice broke and all four of them were blinded by the light.

...

A fire nation ship is searching the waters for the Avatar. The light brightens the sky and the ship's crew looks at it with intensity. "Finally. Uncle, do you realize what this means?"

An old man is sitting at a board game drinking his favorite tea.

"I won't get to finish my game?" He asked

"It means my search - it's about to come to an end." The Prince said. The old man groaned. "That light came from an incredibly powerful source. It has to be him!"

"Or it's just the celestial lights. We've been down this road before, Prince Zuko. I don't want you to get too excited over nothing. Please, sit. Why don't you enjoy a cup of calming jasmine tea?"

Zuko exploded with anger. "I don't need any calming tea! I need to capture the Avatar. Helmsman, head a course for the light"

...

A boy came out of the iceberg and floated in the air with bright eyes.

"Ari, it can't be." Arcadia said.

"What are you talking about?"

"The Avatar."

Arcadia and Ariston run to the iceberg. "Hey," Arcadia yelled. "What happened?"

"We just got him out of the iceberg." The water tribe girl said. She gasped and stepped back. "Are you fire nation?"

"What?" She looked down. "Oh, no. I'm not. I'm from the Earth Kingdom. This is my brother Ariston. I'm Arcadia. These are just extra clothes we brought because we have an extra pair of clothing from every nation." She threw her bag at them. "Check the bag if you don't believe me."

"No need. You've convinced us enough. I'm Katara and this is my brother Sokka." She pointed to the water tribe boy.

"And I'm Aang!" The boy from the iceberg said. "Nice to meet all of you." He smiled.

There was a loud moan from inside the iceberg. "Appa!" Aang yelled.

He climbed up the iceberg and slid down the other side while the other four walked around. Katara, Sokka and Ariston's mouth fell open and Arcadia ran to Appa's side.

"Wow, A flying bison. I've read about these. Adorable animals." She smiled as Appa woke up. The bison sneezed and snot flew over to Sokka and Ariston. Katara, Aang and Arcadia laughed.

Sokka was getting irritated by the lack of security he felt. "I'd like to go home."

"Where is your home?" Ariston asked.

"Southern Water Tribe." He answered.

"We were going there to see if we could stay for a night before heading home." Arcadia said.

"I'm sure that'd be fine. All of you can come back with us." Katara answered.

Aang smiled. "Everyone on Appa!" Arcadia was the first on followed by Katara and then Sokka and Ariston.

...

It was sunset when Zuko practiced his fire bending. Iroh is sitting nearby watching.

Iroh tells him to do it again. Zuko blasts fire from his hands at the guards, but misses. Then the guards attack Zuko with blasts of fire from their fists, but Zuko dodges. He back flips over the guards to land behind them. Iroh sighed and got up from his seat.

Iroh exclaimed, "No! Power in fire bending comes from the breath. Not the muscles. The breath becomes energy in the body. The energy extends past your limbs and becomes fire." Iroh demonstrates, releasing a controlling plume of flame that bursts in front of Zuko, but does not hit him. "Get it right this time."

"Enough. I've been drilling this sequence all day. Teach me the next set. I'm more than ready." Zuko was mad because he was sure he had it right.

"No, you are impatient. You have yet to master your basics. Drill it again!"

Zuko blasted one of the guards backwards with a gout of fire. "The sages tell us that the Avatar is the last air bender. He must be over a hundred years old by now. He's had a century to master the four elements. I'll need more than basic fire bending to defeat him. You WILL teach me the advanced set!"

Iroh sat back down. "Very well. But first I must finish my roast duck. Num num... num..."

...

Cadi and Ari were talking to Sokka about the Earth Kingdom and how much they missed their home when they looked over towards a loud crash and a bright light reaching the sky. "No." Sokka said.

"What? What was that?" Cadi asked.

"The old navy ship that was stuck in the ice by my tribe." He replied.

"A Fire Nation navy ship?" Ari asked. Sokka nodded. "I'm gonna go see who did it." He said before running off. He got to the ship just in time to see Katara and Aang stepping out of the ship and reaching the ground. "What did you do?!" He yelled. "If any fire nation saw that, we're all dead!"

"We didn't mean to." Katara said.

The snow around them started to turn black. "Tell that to the navy." He turned and ran back to the tribe.

...

Zuko was talking to himself as he looked through a telescope. "The last air bender. Quite agile for his old age. Wake my uncle! Tell him I found the Avatar..." Zuko looked back into his telescope to see Aang and Katara running across the ice away from the ship. He then scans left. "...as well as his hiding place."


	2. Capturing the Avatar and The WaterBender

Katara and Aang made it back to the village where Gran Gran and Sokka stand with evil eyes.

"Traitor! I never trusted you and now the fire nation could be on our land in a matter of minutes. You set off that flare to lead them here."

"It wasn't his fault!" Katara yelled.

"I say he's banned from the village." Sokka said and Gran Gran agreed without hesitation.

"He put our entire village in danger. Both of you did. He must go now."

"Then I'm going too!" Katara said.

"Not to be rude and get into things that aren't my business but would you really leave your family like that?" Arcadia said. Katara stopped with hesitation.

"Katara, stay." Aang said.

"So this is goodbye?" She asked.

"For now." He replied. He got on Appa and left. Arcadia walked up to Katara.

"You did the right thing by staying here. You and I are the only water benders here and it's going to be hard fending off the fire nation either way but at least there are two of us." She saw the sad look on Katara's face as she talked. "Besides, he'll be back. He had one of those looks when he looked at you. It's a guarantee he'll be back." She smiled and walked away.

"What do you mean?" She asked.

"Nothing important." She walked away to go get ready for a tough battle.

It was only a few minutes before the fire navy was on the village banks, opening the doors to their ships and marching into water tribe territory.

"Where are you hiding him?" The Prince asked.

Arcadia stepped forward. "I don't know who you are but I know this isn't your land to barge in on and try and find someone that wasn't here before."

"I'm the Prince of the Fire Nation." He yelled.

"The 'Prince' that got banished for speaking out of turn. Yes, I remember old stories about you. Such a shame. Banished to find someone that's long lost." She smirked at the fumes coming from his nostrils.

"Cadi, maybe you shouldn't be doing that." Ariston said.

"He's right. I get mean when I'm mad." Zuko said.

"I thought that was the point of getting mad. Looks like I've been wrong." Arcadia looked bored with the small dispute.

"Grab the girl and throw her on board." Zuko yelled to his crew.

Arcadia bended water whips and hit 3 of them before dodging multiple blows from Zuko and a few others. The main goal was to keep the village safe long enough for the Avatar to come back, if he would. What she didn't know was that there was only one water bender down here for a reason.

"Looks like the invasion force didn't get all of the water benders."

"Invasion?" Arcadia asked. She was distracted long enough to get hit with a fire ball from Zuko's fist.

"Grab her. We will get the Avatar next."

"Avatar? There is no Avatar here." Sokka said.

"Yes there is." Aang flew out of the sky. "If you promise to leave this village alone, I'll go with you."

"Aang, no!" Katara yelled.

"Katara, I'll be fine. Watch Appa for me until I get back." With that, Aang followed Zuko onto the ship with a fire bender holding Arcadia walked beside them.

…

"Sokka, come on. We don't have time." Katara was hauling Sokka's bags into the boat as well as her own and Ariston's.

"I'm coming, I'm coming." He put his boomerang in his bag and walked to the boat.

"Where do you think you're going?" Gran Gran asked.

"Uhm…" Katara hesitated.

Gran Gran smiled. "You'll need these." She handed them a blue bundle. "You have a long journey ahead of you. Be brave my little water bender. And be nice to your sister."

A low grumble from a short distance shocked them for a moment. "Appa!" Katara yelled.

"You just love taking me out of my comfort zone, don't you?" Sokka said.

"Get on Sokka." Katara yelled from Appa's head, Ari sitting next to her encouraging him.

"Yip yip." Sokka said sarcastically. Appa flew through the sky.

…

Zuko is walking across the cell room where Arcadia is being kept. She stirs and his face contorts into something of disgust as he thinks the girl before him is a Southern Water Tribe peasant.

"Wake up already. I can't wait around all day!" He yelled.

"Why would you wait anyways?" She said in a hushed voice.

"Because I want you to know how much pain you will be in when I take you and the Avatar to my father."

"Or how much pain you'll be in when you realize the Avatar can't be held by two guards and you go home with only me and no Avatar." She smiled weakly. "Maybe, you should go check on him to make sure he's doing okay."

"You water tribe peasant. You think you know everything." He huffed and walked away.

"No, you think you know everything. I'm not even from the water tribe!" She yelled as he shut the door. He walked away but she doesn't see him stop by the side of the door and think about what she just said to him. He runs to his room on the ship.

…

Zuko was hiding in wait for the Avatar in his room. "Looks like I underestimated you."

After a brief pause, Zuko begins blasting fire at Aang, who barely dodges. He is terrified and he gasps and pants to catch his breath. After dodging a few more shots, Aang rolls underneath Zuko to get behind him. By staying behind him, Zuko is unable to blast him with fire. The long window of the room where Aang and Zuko are fighting lights up every other second each time Zuko releases a blast. He dissipates each fireball with a small air ball he forms with his hands. Aang creates an air scooter and rides around the walls and ceiling of the room, all the time getting licked by the gouts of flame Zuko unleashes at him. Aang terminates the air ball and grabs a tapestry off the wall. He wraps Zuko up in it as he passes. While Zuko struggles against the tapestry, Aang is able to grab his staff. Zuko breaks his bonds and they once again square off against each other. After a few seconds of maneuvering, Aang air bends a mattress up off the floor and slams it into Zuko. The mattress propels Zuko into the opposite wall. He is smashed into it and he falls to the ground, onto the mattress. Aang then air bends the mattress up to the ceiling, smashing Zuko into it. Both fall back down to the ground. Zuko looks up in anger to find Aang gone.

Appa comes to the rescue as Ariston, Katara and Sokka maneuver him to the fire nation ship. After massive amounts of fighting, Aang is now on Appa and they fly away.

"What about my sister?" Ariston asked.

Aang eyes go wide. "I didn't know she was on board. I'm so sorry." Aang's head falls in disappointment.

"Ehh… I don't really care. She's a pain. She'll drive them all crazy by the day's end. When we go back for her, they'll hand her over in no time." Ari smiled and everyone laughed.

…

"How did you know he would escape?" Zuko was in Cadi's cell again.

"He's the Avatar. What else would you expect? The fact you even thought of underestimating a twelve year old Avatar is beyond me. Somehow, I see a young Avatar more dangerous than an old one." She said to him. "Do you mind moving my sleeping space? This isn't quite what I had in mind."

"You have to answer all of my questions." She nodded. "How are you a water bender and not from the water tribe?"

"Finally, something to talk about, I really thought all you wanted to know was about the Avatar." She laughed. "I'm from the Earth Kingdom. Not all water benders are from the poles and not all of them have brown hair and blue eyes," She pointed to herself. "Obviously. Would you like to know more?" She smiled as she walked to the bars in her torn up red clothes.

"For now, no." He walked out of the room slamming the door shut behind him. A few guards walked in and unlocked the cell and walked her to her new room.

…

Zuko walked back to the top of the ship. Iroh started speaking to him before he was even at his side. "Good news for the Fire Lord. The nation's greatest threat is just a little kid."

Zuko exclaimed, "That kid, Uncle, just did this. I won't underestimate him again. Dig this ship out and follow them!" He looks to his side where some soldiers are using fire bending to thaw out their compatriots frozen by Katara. "As soon as you're done with that."


	3. Meeting Zhao Again

The navy ship is hauled off to a dock to be repaired. Tents and buildings line the right side, ships line the left and a railroad line runs down the middle. Zuko's damaged ship is off to the left. It is much smaller than the other Fire Nation ships. The prow of Zuko's ship has been opened, its spout lying on the floor of the navy yard. Two figures have walked down the spout and are entering the naval yard itself. Zuko and Iroh walk into the yard.

Zuko starts talking to Iroh. "Uncle, I want the repairs made as quickly as possible. I don't want to stay too long and risk losing his trail."

"You mean the Avatar?"

"Don't mention his name on these docks! Once word gets out that he's alive every fire bender will be out looking for him and I don't want anyone getting in the way."

"Getting in the way of what, Prince Zuko?" A man standing off to the side startles him.

Zuko and Iroh turn to face him. Zhao approaches them and his hands are clasped behind his back authoritatively.

"Captain Zhao." Zuko says with distaste.

"It's Commander now. And General Iroh, great hero of our nation. The Fire Lord's brother and son are welcome guests any time. What brings you to my harbor?"

"Our ship is being repaired."

"That's quite a bit of damage."

"Yes... you wouldn't believe what happened. Uncle! Tell Commander Zhao what happened."

Iroh's eyes go wide. "Yes, I will do that. It was incredible." He leans over and whispers to Zuko, "What... did we crash or something?"

"Uh, yes! Right into an Earth Kingdom ship."

"Oh yes, indeed." Arcadia laughs as she walks off the ship. "Hello Zhao, pleasure to meet your acquaintance again." She stretches before doing a backflip. "Nothing like a good stretch after awakening." She smiles at him wickedly. Zuko turns to see Zhao's face. He's stunned.

"No offense to these two," He looks at Zuko and Iroh, "but there is no way they could have captured you, of all people."

"Why not?" Zuko asked meanly.

"The Princess of Earth Lord, she's quite hard to catch. Word is she ran away with her brother and now all of a sudden she turns up on your ship, unbelievable."

"We captured her from the Southern Water Tribe." Iroh said.

"Really? You must regale me with all the thrilling details." Zhao smiles and puts his face right up to Zuko's in an obvious challenge. "Join me for a drink?"

"Sorry, but we have to go." Zuko turns to leave, but Iroh places a hand on his shoulder and stops him.

"Prince Zuko, show Commander Zhao your respect." He turns to Zhao. "We would be honored to join you. Do you have any ginseng tea? It's my favorite."

Zuko growls in frustration and releases fire from his fists angrily as he turns to follow Zhao and Iroh down the dock with Arcadia slowly following them.

"Stop following and get up here or I'll chain you next to me." Zuko said.

"Now, why would you need to do that?" Arcadia asked as she smiled and walked past Zuko.

One fire nation tent is particularly large, with a prominent Fire Nation symbol on it. Two guards, flanked by large standing firepots, stand at the ready in front of this tent. The interior of the large tent where Commander Zhao stands inspecting a large map of the world upon the wall. Zhao turns to Zuko.

"The Fire Lord will finally claim victory in this war."

"If my father thinks the rest of the world will follow him willingly, then he is a fool."

"Two years at sea have done little to temper your tongue. So, how is your search for the Avatar going?"

Iroh tips over the stand of weapons he has been examining in the background. The commotion brings the conversation to a halt. Iroh cringes at the mess he has just made.

"We haven't found him yet."

"Did you really expect to? The Avatar died a hundred years ago along with the rest of the air benders."

"Everyone and everything you love will eventually die, who knew that the one thing everyone loved but the fire nation would die as well. Tragic really." Arcadia stood in the corner looking at Iroh move through the tent, inspecting everything.

"So how do you two know each other?" Zuko asked

"Long story." Zhao said without hesitation.

"Oh, don't be modest. We met three years ago when I was twelve. You know it's a tradition in some nations to get married at a certain age, well ours is to be married at 12. I was a small undeveloped girl with frizzy red hair and still amazingly stunning green eyes. Somehow, he didn't care, he wanted the money my family could offer and they had little trouble with him because he claimed to have not been in the fire nation for years even though later we found out it was all a plan to take away our kingdom. So we banished him. He didn't stay away though. He came crawling back begging for my forgiveness because somewhere along the way, he'd fallen in love." With every word she said, she stepped a little bit closer to Zhao, until she finally reached him and stood next to him, wrapping her arm around his waist and looking up at him with fake adoring eyes.

"I was thirteen by then so I had long mastered my bending abilities so I offered him a battle. He would get to marry me or he would be banished, it all depended on his fighting skills. You see, he thought I was an Earth bender, because never once did I bend around him because I knew what they did to water benders. So we dueled, and I was so close, but that little wench he called on to make sure I lost was standing in the crowd waiting for the perfect moment to strike. I almost lost my life but that would've been better than the marriage that awaited me in 4 short days." Cadi let him go and walked over to the tent opening. "I ran away from my home with my brother and never have I returned even after I knew he had long left my kingdom." Arcadia whipped water over to Zhao's face and he dodged it just barely. She walked out of the tent and back to the ship.

Zhao was pissed. "Prince Zuko, the Avatar is the only one who can stop the Fire Nation from winning this war. If you have an ounce of loyalty left, you'll tell me what you've found." He yelled at him.

"I haven't found anything. It's like you said. The Avatar probably died a long time ago. Come on, Uncle, we're going."

Zuko gets up and tries to exit, but he is blocked by the guards as they cross their spears in front of him. Another guard approaches Zhao to deliver his report.

"Commander Zhao, we interrogated the crew as you instructed. They confirmed Prince Zuko had the Avatar in custody, but let him escape."

"Now, remind me... how exactly was your ship damaged?" Zuko looked down in defeat.

Zhao crosses in front of a seated and clearly unhappy Prince Zuko. A pair of guards stand behind the young prince.

"So, a twelve-year-old boy bested you and your fire benders? You're more pathetic than I thought."

"At least he was the Avatar. I wasn't bested by some 12 year old girl that only knows one element. Besides, I won't underestimate him again"

"No, you will not, because you won't have a second chance." He stopped for a moment. "And she was a bending prodigy! She was 13 as well." He turned his head up and scoffed.

"Commander Zhao, I've been hunting the Avatar for two years and I..."

"And you failed! Capturing the Avatar is too important to leave in a teenager's hands. He's mine now. " Zhao left for some time before returning and opening a flap to the tent and entering. Two guards standing ready inside the entrance draw their spears back. "My search party is ready. Once I'm out to sea, my guards will escort you back to your ship and you'll be free to go."

"Why? Are you worried I'm going to try and stop you?" Zuko asked.

Zhao laughed. "You? Stop me? Impossible."

"Don't underestimate me, Zhao. I will capture the Avatar before you."

"Prince Zuko, that's enough!" Iroh said.

"You can't compete with me. I have hundreds of warships under my command, and you... you're just a banished prince. No home. No allies. Your own father doesn't even want you."

"You're wrong. Once I deliver the Avatar to my father he will welcome me home with honor and restore my rightful place on the throne."

"If your father really wanted you home, he'd have let you return by now, Avatar or no Avatar, but in his eyes you are a failure and a disgrace to the Fire Nation."

"That's not true."

"You have the scar to prove it."

"Maybe you'd like one to match!"

"Is that a challenge?"

"An agni kai. At sunset."

"Very well. It's a shame your father won't be here to watch me humiliate you. I guess your uncle will do."

"Prince Zuko, have you forgotten what happened last time you dueled a master?"

"I will never forget."

…

They are standing inside a Fire Nation arena, a simple four-walled structure with watch fires on the four towers at each corner. There is one large open gate. The sunset is a glorious mixture of Fire Nation hues: red, orange, and yellow. Zhao and Zuko kneel inside the arena, preparing for battle, Zhao with four of his men in attendance, Zuko with his uncle.

"Remember your fire bending basics, Prince Zuko. They are your greatest weapons." Iroh yelled.

"I refuse to let him win." Zuko says, standing.

"Good, I'd love to watch Zhao get his face beat in." Arcadia said with excitement as she strolled into the arena, unnoticed until then. Iroh eyed her wearily then smiled and shook his head.

Zuko's shoulder wrap falls to the ground ceremoniously. Zhao stands and turns, his shoulder wrap falling to the ground, as well.

"This will be over quickly." Zhao said.

"Basics, Zuko! Break his root!" Iroh yelled.

Zhao fires many volleys of flame, alternating between his fists. Zuko blocks each, but is slowly forced back. On the last volley Zhao uses both hands, knocking Zuko over and sending him skidding backwards in the dirt. Zhao takes a flying jump at him. Zhao lands as Zuko tries to get up, but he isn't fast enough. Zhao fires right at him. Zuko rolls out of the way just in time, and as he is getting up sweeps Zhao's feet out from under him. Zuko lands on his feet and he slightly smiles.

"Do it!" Zhao and Arcadia yell.

Zuko fires but purposely misses.

"That's it? Your father raised a coward." Zhao said.

"Next time you get in my way, I promise I won't hold back." Zuko said.

Zuko turns his back and begins to walk away. Zhao gets up and, with a howl of anger, unleashes a whip of flame at Zuko. The flame is extinguished, however, as a hand closes over the disgraceful attack. Iroh has moved between them to stop the dishonorable attack. They remain frozen for a moment before Iroh hurls Zhao back into the dirt with little effort. Zuko rushes to avenge the insult, but is stopped by his uncle.

"No, Prince Zuko. Do not taint your victory." Iroh says. Iroh turns to face Zhao, a look of condescension on his face. "So this is how the great Commander Zhao acts in defeat. Disgraceful. Even in exile my nephew is more honorable than you. Thanks again for the tea. It was delicious." Zuko was stunned by Iroh's comment.

Iroh moves to leave and Zuko follows close behind. With subdued anger, Zhao watches them exit the gate of the arena. Outside, Zuko and Iroh talk.

"Did you really mean that, Uncle?" Zuko asks quietly.

Iroh responds. "Of course. I told you ginseng tea is my favorite."

Iroh walks away and Arcadia walks next to Zuko. "Even in banishment, you still have love for the ones you love. I didn't tell anyone earlier but I didn't leave because I wanted to, I left because I had to. I was banished for losing the battle with Zhao and I couldn't return until I had traveled the world learning as much water bending as I could to earn back my honor." Zuko was stunned at her.

"You didn't have to tell me."

"I know I didn't have to, but I wanted to. You know where my quarters are, correct?" She asked.

"Yes, I made them next to mine so I would know if you left." She smiled.

"Stop by tonight, it'll be worth it." She winked and walked away.

…

Zuko barged into Arcadia's room and she was sitting on her new bed. "What do you want?" Zuko asked.

"Sit." She said.

"Where?"

"On the other side of the bed, I know you've probably never been in the same room as a girl that wasn't your mother but you should know how to sit."

Zuko sat on the bed. "Don't talk about my mother." He said rudely.

"Sorry." She looked apologetic and Zuko was shocked.

"That's the first time you've said sorry for anything."

"That's because I know family is a rough spot for everyone."

"What did you want?" He asked again.

"Just to talk." She replied.

"About what?" He stood, getting bored.

"Everything I suppose." She said. He looked at her and saw the honesty in her eyes and he sat back down. He never left her room that night.


	4. Locating the Avatar

Zuko is sitting in the lotus position in front of an altar. Four white candles are burning in front of him. The light from the candles increases and decreases with Zuko's rhythmic breathing and his eyes are closed. The door opens and General Iroh enters the room.

Zuko speaks in a dangerously silky, and mild-y sexy voice. "The only reason you should be interrupting me is if you have news about the Avatar."

Iroh enters cautiously carrying a map. "Well, there is news, Prince Zuko, but you might not like it. Don't get too upset."

"Uncle, you taught me that keeping a level head is a sign of a great leader. Now whatever you have to say, I'm sure that I can take it."

"Okay, then... we have no idea where he is."

"WHAT?!"

The four candles flare to the ceiling with Zuko's wrath. He stands quickly and turns around to face his uncle, his anger evident on his face. Iroh turns away from the flames and raises his right arm to protect his face. As the flames subside, he pulls a fan out of his robes.

Iroh fans himself. "You really should open a window in here."

Zuko snatched the map from Iroh's hand. He opens the rolled scroll and begins to study it. Iroh continues to fan himself.

"There have been multiple sightings of the Avatar, but he is impossible to track down."

"How am I gonna find him, Uncle? He is clearly a master of evasive maneuvering."

"All you have to do is ask." Arcadia smiled smoothly at Zuko and walked back to her room.

…

The news that the Avatar is on Kyoshi travels to through village after village until Zuko is informed of the Avatar's whereabouts.

Zuko stands and speaks angrily. "The Avatar's on Kyoshi Island? Uncle, ready the rhinos. He's not getting away from me this time."

Iroh is still sitting at the dinner table with the steaming hot plate of fish in front of him. Zuko walks off and Iroh turns towards him and, pointing at the fish, begins to speak. "Are you going to finish that?"

Zuko walks angrily back to the dinner table and grabs the fish off of the table. "I was going to save it for later!" He storms off with his meal.

Arcadia laughs at Iroh crossing his arms and pouting. "Have mine, I don't like fish anyways." She smiles and walks off listening to Iroh eat the fish. He smiles after her.

…

Zuko's ship lands. The prow is let down and Zuko rides out of the hull on the back of a war rhinoceros. He is accompanied by many men also on rhino mounts.

"I want the Avatar alive." Zuko says. Zuko's army begins to search the town for Aang. Three war rhinos as they proceed down the main street of the village.

The fan warriors attack Zuko's army. Suki heads directly for Zuko. As she is about to land on him, he turns his rhinoceros and she is swatted out of the air by its tail. As she hits the ground, Zuko aims a fire blast at her. Sokka steps in between Suki and the fire ball, deflecting it. Zuko, taken by surprise, falls off his rhinoceros.

"I guess training's over." Sokka said.

Suki, Sokka, and another warrior cautiously approach the prone Zuko. Zuko spins around on his hands shooting fire bolts out of his feet at the approaching warriors. He knocks them all to the ground and pulls himself to his feet. Zuko leaps to the middle of the street.

"Nice try, Avatar! But these little girls can't save you." Zuko yells

"Hey! Over here!"

"Finally!"

Zuko and Aang face each other. Zuko lets loose three consecutive fire balls from his hands. Aang dodges them and, using his staff as a helicopter, flies toward Zuko. Zuko shoots another blast of fire, which knocks Aang's staff out of his hands. Aang leaps away and picks up two discarded fans. Zuko runs full force at Aang. Aang uses the fans to throw an enormous gust of air at Zuko. The air knocks Zuko through the wall of a building. Aang drops the fans and picks up his staff. He throws it into the air and flies over the now burning town. He looks behind him to see the statue of Avatar Kyoshi engulfed in flames. He lands next to Katara, who is helping a small child inside.

The fight ended with the town being drenched in water. The Avatar left with his friends and Zuko headed his team back to the ship.

…

"Cadi?" Ari opened door after door of the Fire Navy ship looking for his beloved sister. She walked through a door down the small corridor and went into the room across the hall. He followed her.

"Cadi, what are you doing?" He asked as he looked in the room and saw her sitting next to an old man drinking tea.

"Drinking tea with Iroh. Maybe I should ask you what you're doing."

"Saving you."

"No need to save me, take a seat." She smiled at him.


	5. Lover's Scorned

"Cadi, I'm leaving. Are you coming?" Arcadia looked between her brother and the Fire Nation's ship's door.

"No." She replied. "I can't. They're planning something and I have to find out what. Go and I'll be back before you know it." She smiled weakly at her brother because she wasn't sure anything she was saying was true, she really wanted to stay to learn more about the forbidden knowledge of Zuko and Iroh.

"We'll be back." Ari said as he boarded Appa with Katara, Aang and Sokka. Appa flew off and Arcadia headed back inside to meet with her new friend.

**3 DAYS LATER**

"Hahaha. I can't believe you would even think that." Cadi laughed as her and Zuko sat on her bed as they have every night since they captured her. "No, I'm not a girly princess, if anything; I'm a warrior in disguise." She winked at Zuko and smirked. He looked down to hide his blush.

He didn't want to admit it but she kind of got to him. He thought she understood him than most people because of everything she went through was almost the same as everything he went through.

"Oh, yeah. I'll believe it when I see." Her eyes widened.

"I have the perfect idea." She grabbed his arm and led him to the deck of the ship.

"What are you doing?" He asked.

"I'll be your training partner. You need to brush up on some fighting and I do too, plus since we're opposite elements we can train now and other benders won't be as hard." She smiled at him. He didn't like admitting feelings, but he liked that smile.

"Sounds good to me." She laughed as he got into his fighting stance and started throwing fire at her.

"What kind of stance is that? You gotta be quick on your feet, not a rock in the ground. I don't know why anyone ever told you that. Maybe it's just because I'm a girl that can do neat tricks in the air but you need to loosen up." She walked behind him and moved his body in short patterns.

"What is this?" He asked.

"It's like a short wave. It's small and loose but in the end can keep you light on your feet and pack a punch." She smiled. "Try it."

He did as he was told and shot fire from his hand at a greater speed than normal.

"How was that?" He asked.

"Perfect. Now try it against me." She got in her fighting stance.

"I thought you said not to be a rock in the ground."

"I did but because you're going to be light on your feet, I wanted to be a boring old rock like you usually are." She laughed. "I just wanna see how it works."

They fought for most of the morning and by the time the sun was up they had bruises and scratches all on either of their bodies.

"That was good Zuko. I didn't know you had it in you."

"I didn't know I was a boring rock either." He laughed a genuine laugh and Cadi smiled.

"I could go for some tea then a nice long nap." She stretched as she usually did and ended up doing the same old back flip.

"Why do you always do a backflip?"

"Keeps me light off the ground and it cracks any bone in my body I need it to." She laughed. "You should try that some time too." She walked off towards the quarters they shared and entered her room. There was a knock on the door a few minutes later.

She opened the door and saw Zuko standing there.

"Is something wrong?" She asked.

"No, I brought you tea." He offered her a cup and she took it and smiled.

"Thank you. Come in?" She opened the door more and he stepped through.

"I wanted to tell you something." He sighed.

"Do share." She said.

"I like you. It's a horrible thing I feel that I don't want to but I can't stop feeling this way."

"Why is it a horrible feeling to like a girl you've spent pretty much every day with for the past week?" She asked.

"You're a prisoner." He said as he looked away.

"Doesn't feel like it." She said. "Come sit on the bed."

He sat next to her and she leaned in and kissed him softly on the mouth. "See, not that bad." She smiled.

He kissed her again with slightly more force and they lay on the bed until he was on top of her.

"I think we should stop." He said.

"If you want." She replied.

"Can we just lay here for now?"

"Of course."

He lay next to her and they cuddled until dusk.

That was the last they had been like that for 14 days.

**14 DAYS LATER**

Zuko walked across his room. He had no idea what to do. "I will go now." He said to himself and he walked to Cadi's room without hesitation.

He knocked on the door.

"So, you finally came. I didn't think it would take 2 weeks to get over being scared of me." She said.

"I'm not scared."

"Good."

"I want you."

"That's always nice."

"I want you to also know that after I have you, we will no longer share feelings for one another."

"Never said I had feelings for you but thanks for telling me I'll be bad enough for you to get over me."

"It's not that you'll be bad, it's that after this I wouldn't know what to do so I will let you go and every time you get captured on my ship, we can do it all again." He smiled at his broadness.

She looked at him wearily. "I hate to say it, but this ship is getting boring. You can have me but I make the rules and I will not get captured willingly. So if you like it, you gotta work for it." She smiled at him. He returned the smile by shutting the door behind him and kissing her with more passion than he could have imagined.

**1 HOUR LATER**

"That lasted a lot longer than I thought it would." She said.

"It was good though?" Zuko asked.

"Yes. It was amazing. Well, I have nothing to compare it to."

"Me either."

"Makes sense."

"Yes."

"It was really good though."

"Yeah. You may now leave my ship and hope to be captured again." He looked at her and smiled.

She looked back at him with sad eyes. "I'll miss the conversations and the tea. Hell, I'll miss this room. I'll miss you most though." She leaned in and kissed him for what seemed the longest time.

"Like I said, hope to be captured again."

She smiled and got up to get dressed and leave. He watched her make her way out of the room.


	6. Pirates

Arcadia had left the ship and found a port village not too far. She felt lonely already. She had no idea where she was and had no idea where the gang was. She was lost and needed someone to help her out. She needed Ari.

Of course, she got her wish as soon as she heard a bunch of people running and screaming through the town. She saw a small bald boy first then 2 black haired boys then a girl.

"No way!" She screamed and ran after them. She saw Appa and ran right for him. She'd wait for the others because they were obviously busy.

It took 10 minutes but the four of them finally got back to Appa and the people were still chasing them.

"Are those pirates?" Cadi asked.

"What the hell?" Ari asked.

"Yes, I say we go!" Sokka yelled. Katara had just got on Appa when Aang yelled for him to leave.

"Why are they chasing you?" Cadi asked.

"I don't know. We were looking for supplies and then they went nuts." Sokka said.

"They went nuts because I stole this." Katara said as she pulled out a water bending scroll.

"What is that?"

"A water bending scroll" Katara smiled widely.

"Lemme see." She reached for it and Katara handed it over.

"I know all of these but one." She sighed. "If I had been here I could have taught you both. I'm an idiot and should've left when I had the chance." She looked down in disappointment.

"It was for a good cause." Sokka said.

"Not really. I didn't learn anything valuable."

"But we did." Ari said happily. Cadi looked up.

"What?"

"We found out some things while you were keeping them busy." He went on. "There's a comet coming before the year is up and it's –"

"Sozin's comet." Cadi stared wide-eyed at Ari. "Why did no one say anything before?" She practically yelled. "What happened while I was gone? I knew I should have come back whether they were distracted or not. Ari, I can't let you do anything!" She regretted saying it as soon as it was out.

Ari looked like he was going to cry but he stood and confronted her then and there. He was a foot taller but in comparison Arcadia seemed scarier.

"Don't talk to me like I'm five. You're the brat of this group and you weren't even here the entire time. You think I didn't see the way you looked at them? You looked at them like I looked at dad and Kyoki. My family and my love. I could have stayed there too. I didn't have to go with you around the world because you were banished and I wasn't. I could have lived a happy live like I was supposed to. I was destined to be with her. We loved each other like you couldn't imagine. We were engaged just like you were when you were twelve."

"I didn't mean what I said but you don't have to go on about every horrible thing I've ever done. I'm always there for you because you're always there for me. I needed to be here. I shouldn't have stayed away. I need you like you need me."

"I know." He said and he hugged her. "I'm glad you came back."

She missed the hugs of her brother and the comforting words he could tell her whenever she was sad.

…

Zuko's ship had docked on the same port village Arcadia had landed. He didn't want anyone to know but he was slightly following her because no matter what he said, he'd still care.

It didn't take long though for him to find her trail again. He overheard pirates talking about the group and he decided it was time to go and capture everything he needed all over again before Zhao did.

They teamed up and in the middle of the night captured a young water bender but it wasn't the one Zuko wanted.

…

Katara is bound to the trunk of a small tree, her hands behind the trunk. She is surrounded by the pirates and Zuko's soldiers.

"Tell me where he is and I won't hurt you or your brother." Zuko yelled.

"Go jump in the river!"

"Try to understand, I need to capture to restore something I've lost. My honor. Perhaps in exchange I can restore something you've lost."

Zuko holds Katara's mother's necklace around her neck then walks away, dangling it from his hand.

"My mother's necklace! How did you get that?"

"I didn't steal it, if that's what you're wondering. Tell me where he is."

"No!"

The pirate captain walks forward towards them. "Enough of this necklace garbage. You promised the scroll!"

Zuko holds the scroll and makes fire in his hand beneath it. "I wonder how much money this is worth." The pirates gasp. "A lot, apparently. Now you help me find what I want, you'll get this back and everyone goes home happy. Search the woods for the boy and meet back here."

...

Sokka rolled over, starting to wake. He notices Katara's empty sleeping bag.

"Huh? Where did she go? I don't believe it."

"What's wrong?" Ari asked.

"She took the scroll! She's obsessed with that thing. It's just a matter of time before she gets us all in deep –"

He is cut off when his hands get wrapped in a sling thrown from a distance. He is pulled off his sleeping bag screaming. He lands on the ground and is faced by a pirate who throws another sling at him. He rolls out of the way, picks up his spear and charges the intruder. Aang turns to see a huge beefy pirate hefting two crossbows with a net tied between them. He aims and fires. Aang fires an air ball at the approaching net, but the air passes right through it. The net rolls him up into a nice neat bundle and he is thrown backwards onto the ground, where another pirate begins dragging him away. They instantly leave Sokka and the other two alone, who get up.

"I got him, come on!"

"Oh, what? I'm not good enough to kidnap?" Sokka says and Ari agrees while Arcadia rolls her eyes.

They are answered by nets scooping them up. Zuko and his men lined up facing each other. Katara is still bound to the tree, Iroh standing next to her. The pirates have Sokka, Ari, Cadi and Aang tied up, Zuko holds the scroll.

"Nice work."

"Aang, this is my entire fault."

"No, Katara it isn't."

"Yeh, it kind of is." Iroh said and Cadi chuckled. Iroh smirked at her and Ari glared.

"Give me the boy."

"You give us the scroll."

"You're really gonna hand over the Avatar for a stupid piece of parchment!?"

"Don't listen to him! He's trying to turn us against each other."

"Your friend is the Avatar?"

"Sure is, and I'll bet he'll fetch a lot more on the black market then that fancy scroll."

"Shut your mouth, you water tribe peasant!"

"Yeh, Sokka, you really should shut your mouth..."

"I'm just saying', its bad business sense. Just imagine how much the Fire Lord would pay for the Avatar. You guys would be set for life!" Ari said.

"Keep the scroll! We can buy a hundred with the reward we will get for the kid."

The pirates begin to walk away with the Avatar.

"You'll regret breaking a deal with me!"

Zuko and the guards on either side of him unleash a torrent of flame, which bathes the ground underneath the pirates who jump out the way. General melee begins. The Pirate Salesmen jumps into the midst of the fire benders with a cry. Zuko and his men bear down on the still bound Aang and Sokka. As the get near, four pirates jump to defend their captives. They drop smoke bombs and the battlefield instantly becomes a foggy mess. The remaining Fire Nation soldiers approaches the edge of the crowd and are instantly pulled in by the arms of pirates emerging from the smoke.

"Run!"

The group run towards the pirate ship, which Katara is trying to push off the beach.

"Katara! You're okay!"

"Help me get this boat back in the water so we can get out of here!"

All three begin to push on the boat, but nothing happens. They stop and look up at the prow.

"We need a team of rhinos to budge this ship."

"A team of rhinos... or three water benders?" Aang smiles but stops when he sees Cadi and Ari aren't with them.

…

"Couldn't stay away I see." Cadi smirked at Zuko who half-way smirked back. They were in their fighting stance and both seemed to be light off the ground and Iroh thought it was good Cadi had actually managed to teach him something.

"It's you who likes finding trouble."

"You followed me."

"Only slightly."

"Why?"

"I missed having a friend."

"A friend or a stupid toy?"

"What are you talking about?"

"You never really meant anything, did you?"

"What if I didn't?"

"I'd realize how much of an idiot I am."

"And if I wasn't lying."

"I'd still think you were using me to get the Avatar. It's a lose lose situation for me and a win win for you." She sighed.

"Well, looks like I win again." He growled and punched the air and fire shot at Cadi.

"I thought you said you liked me." She smirked.

"I do."

"Then don't try and fight me. You'll lose. Water is dominant and besides, I'm a master." She winked and she moved too fast for anyone to really see what she was doing but eventually water engulfed everyone except Katara, Sokka, Ari, Aang and Iroh.

Cadi blew Zuko a small kiss and winked and walked away to help the gang with the boat. Iroh didn't miss a single action between the two. He watches as she made him turn crimson red and walk away.

…

"Everybody in!" As soon as they were in, Cadi let the water fall from around everyone and she made extra sure none got on Iroh. He smiled at her and she smiled back.

"Aang, I still owe you an apology. You were just so good at water bending without really trying. I got so competitive that I put us all in danger. I'm sorry."

"That's okay, Katara."

"Besides, who needs that stupid scroll anyways?" Ari asked.

"Is that really how you feel?" Sokka asked as he pulled it out of his shirt.

"The scroll!" Katara yelled.

She reaches for it, but Sokka pulls it away and gives her the Heisman with his other hand.

"First, what did you learn?" Sokka asked.

"Stealing is wrong." Katara said.

Cadi takes the scroll. "Unless it's from pirates!" She said.


	7. The Blue Spirit

"After everything, I can't believe we're still alive." Ari said.

"Right. After the stuff with Jet and his crew and that horrible canyon experience, I don't know either." Katara said.

"We cannot forget that horrible storm we just went through a few days ago."

"Sokka is still getting over his cold. I don't know how long it will take for all of us to get it." Arcadia chimed in.

"I feel it coming on." Katara said.

"You know what I love about Appa the most? His sense of humor." Sokka said.

"That's nice. I'll tell him." Katara responded.

Appa grunts at Sokka in response.

"Haha! Classic Appa."

Aang walks up to the group. "How's Sokka doing?" Aang asked.

"Not so good. Being out in that storm really did a number on him."

Sokka shivers in his sleeping bag and snorting back his runny nose.

"I couldn't find any ginger root for the tea, but I found a map." Aang said.

Aang takes out a scroll. He spreads out the scroll on the ground.

"There's an herbalist institute on the top of that mountain. We could probably find a cure for Sokka there."

"Aang, he's in no condition to travel. Sokka just needs more rest. I'm sure he'll be better by tomorrow." Ari said.

Katara begins to cough at this.

"Not you too!"

"Relax; it was just a little cough. I'm fine –" She cuts herself off with more coughing. Aang, Ari and Cadi shield themselves from her violent coughing then Ari starts to cough as well.

"That's how Sokka started yesterday. Now look at him – he thinks he's an earth bender!" Cadi said.

Sokka starts swinging at something that isn't there. "Take that, you rock!"

"A few more hours and you'll be talking nonsense too." Aang gets up and grabs his staff. "I'm going to find some medicine."

"I'm going to. Don't protest 'because I'll jump on anyways." She smiled and he smiled back.

"I wasn't going to say no. I was going to say hold on."

He opens his glider and walks to the edge of the temple. A huge flash of lightning illuminates them and the exterior of the temple. He twirls his glider shut and leans it against the wall of the temple.

"Uh, maybe it's safer if we go on foot. Keep an eye on'em guys."

Appa grunts in reply.

"Haha! You guys are killin' me!" Sokka said deliriously.

Aang turns and launches himself and Cadi into the air, landing far down the hill the temple sits on. Aang zooms by at high speed, using his air bending to accelerate his running speed.

…

Lieutenant Jee was taking. "We haven't been able to pick up the Avatar's trail since the storm."

The position of the Lieutenant's hand and extended index finger on the map indicate that they are currently at the northwest extremity of the Earth Kingdom, close to the eastern most extremity of the northern air nomad lands.

"But, if we continue heading northeast –"

The Lieutenant is cut off as the light is blocked by an enormous shadow. Iroh and some crewman are playing Pai Sho on the right on the right of the bridge. Another Fire Navy ship, a massive hulking thing, is passing them to starboard, headed the opposite direction. Everyone on Zuko's bridge stares at it.

"What do they want?" Zuko asked.

"Perhaps a sporting game of Pai Sho!"

Herald starts talking. "The hunt for the Avatar has been given prime importance. All information regarding the Avatar must be reported directly to Admiral Zhao."

"Zhao has been promoted? Well, good for him!" Iroh said moving a piece on his board. Iroh's opponent looks chagrined at the move and slaps his face.

"I've got nothing to report to Zhao. Now get off my ship and let us pass." Zuko replies sullenly.

"Admiral Zhao is not allowing ships in or out of this area."

"Off my ship!"

…

Aang and Cadi finally got to the top of the mountain.

"Hello! I'm sorry to barge in like this, but I need some medicine for my friends. They have fevers and they've been coughing and –" Aang said quickly.

"Settle down, young man. Your friends are going to be fine." She walks over to another table where the cat is sitting. "I've been up here for over forty years you know, used to be others, but they all left years ago." She pets the cat who begins to purr. "Now it's just me and Miyuki."

"That's nice."

"Wounded Earth Kingdom troops still come by now and again, brave boys, and thanks to my remedies they always leave in better shape they when they arrive."

"That's nice. Are you almost done?"

"Hold on, I just need to add one last ingredient. Oh, sandalwood... oh, er, uh, that won't do, banana leaf? Ah, nope, uh, ginger root, uh uh, oh where is that pesky little plant?"

…

"Is everything okay? It's been almost an hour and you haven't given the men an order." Iroh asked.

"I don't care what they do." Zuko says as he looks away out to sea.

"Don't give up hope yet. You can still find the Avatar before Zhao."

Zuko turns back, desperation and fear on his face. "How, Uncle? With Zhao's resources it's just a matter of time before he captures the Avatar." Turns back out to sea and whispers, "My honor, my throne, my country, I'm about to lose them all."

"Even if you do, you won't lose me," He hesitates. "And I'm sure there may be someone else that won't want to lose you either." He said before walking away. Zuko turns to watch him leave before turning back to the sea and pleading to see those emerald eyes.

…

"Here's what I was looking for! Plum blossom!" She grabs one then turns towards the table.

"Finally!" Aang takes the bowl and turns to walk away ."Thanks for all your help!"

The herbalist hits Aang on the wrist and knocks loose his grip on the bowl. "Hands off! What do you think you're doing?"

"Taking the cure to my friends!"

"Ahaha! This isn't a cure, it's Miyuki's dinner."

The Herbalist places the bowl on the table in front of Miyuki. She pets the cat who begins to eat and purr. "Plum blossom is her favorite."

"What about my friends?" Cadi said.

"Well, all they need is some frozen wood frogs. There are plenty of them down in the valley swamp."

"What are we supposed to do with frozen frogs?" Cadi asked.

"Why, suck on them of course!"

Aang and Cadi are shocked. "Suck on them!?" Aang asked.

"The frog's skin excretes a substance that'll cure your friends, but make sure you get plenty. Once those little critters thaw out, they're useless!"

"You're insane aren't you?"

"Thaaat's right." She turns back to her work, then turns back to Aang. "Well, don't stand there all day." She whips her spoon at Aang, who ends up with a bunch of black gunk on his face. "Go!"

Aang and Cadi run out of the building, Aang wiping his face. Suddenly arrows fly through the air at him. Two land to his immediate right and left. As Aang looks around. Above, a huge number of arrows arch toward him. Aang air bends a shell of wind around him knocking all the arrows aside. Aang pulls one of the arrows out of the ground and offers it to someone.

"Uhh, I think you dropped this." He throws it and runs with Cadi on his back so she doesn't get left behind. "Why are they trying to hit me and not you?"

An arrow flies through the air and hits Aang's foot and he trips and Cadi falls to the ground hitting her head on a large rock. Aang is struggles to pull the arrow out of the ground that is holding his foot in place. He releases it just in time as the archers fire another volley. He runs out of the way as two groups of four arrows each plow into the ground near him as he runs to Cadi. He grabs her and runs towards the gate he entered through, but it is blocked by archers. They fire, but he dodges and runs in the opposite direction. Dodging hails of arrows, he jumps off the cliff at the back of the institute. Aang hurtling down the cliff holding an unconscious Arcadia in his arms. Up above, the archers jump off the cliff after him. Eventually Aang comes out of the forest in the swamp. Cadi lands on a nearby river bank and he lands in the water and emerges with a white, frozen frog. "A frog!" He yells excitedly.

The frog is knocked out of his hand by an arrow. He stands up and tries to run through the water, looking for frogs along the way. Arrows fall all around. He gets to a log rising out of the water, and an arrow pins his right arm to it. It is soon joined by several more. The archers fire another volley, but Aang water bends a wall of ice in front of him. The arrows shatter the ice. They fire another volley, pinning his left arm, followed by a net that covers his upper body.

…

The room is dark, but there is fire in the room that sheds some illumination. Aang is a prisoner in a large room with two stone pillars that have fires on their crests. Aang is shackled to them from his arms. Aang struggles against his bonds. The door opens and Aang looks up. Zhao walks into the room towards Aang, hands behind his back.

"So this is the great Avatar? Master of all the elements. I don't know how you've managed to elude the Fire Nation for a hundred years, but your little game of hide and seek is over." Zhao says.

"I've never hidden from you. Untie me and I'll fight you right now!"

"Uhh, no. Tell me, how does it feel to be the only air bender left?" He puts his face up to Aang's. "Do you miss your people? Oh, don't worry, you won't be killed like they were. See, if you die you'll just be reborn and the Fire Nation will have to search for the Avatar all over again. So, I'll keep you alive – but just barely." Zhao turns to leave, still smirking. Aang blows a gale force wind, knocking Zhao into the wall where he collapses in a heap. He shakes his head to clear his vision and stands up.

"Blow all the wind you want! Your situation is futile. There is no escaping this fortress – and no one is coming to rescue you." Zhao exits the door, slamming it behind him.

…

The road leading to the fortress is ridden by a wagon that is making its way toward the gate. The Blue Spirit is holding on to the underside of the wagon. The wagon reaches the gate.

"All clear."

A gate guard looks at the wagon and walks around it. When the guard checks the undercarriage, the Blue Spirit is gone. The guard gets back up.

"All clear. Go on in."

The Blue Spirit has hidden himself inside the cabin

"We are the sons and daughters of fire! The superior element! Until today, only one thing stood in our path to victory. The Avatar! I am here to tell you that he is now my prisoner! This is the year Sozin's comet returns to grant us its power! This is the year the Fire Nation breaks through the walls of Ba-Sing-Se and burns the city to the ground!" Zhao's speech takes long enough for Arcadia to wake up and understand where she is and the Blue Spirit to defeat multiple guards and enter the Fire Nation fortress.

Aang is still struggling with the chains when he stops to breath heavily and the frogs move around and out of his shirt. "What? No! Don't leave frogs! My friends are sick and they need you! Please go back to being frozen!"

He begins to struggle again as the frogs hop away towards the door. The four guards standing outside the chamber begin to look confused when they frog noises. They look down to see a few frogs coming from underneath the door. Suddenly they look up as a Fire Nation soldier's helmet comes bouncing down the corridor towards them. One of the guards walks up the corridor and turns right at the first junction, disappearing down the hall. A gout of flame erupts from the cross hallway as well as the sound of a brief scuffle. Two more guards go up to the junction and turn right, fire bending stances at the ready. The first guard who went is hanging from the ceiling, tied up. The Blue Spirit drops down and melee begins, but it is over quickly. The lone guard grabs the alarm horn next to him, but a knife thrown knocks it out of his hand. The guard lets loose gouts of flames at the Blue Spirit as he runs down the hall toward the door, but the intruder extinguishes the blast with a bucket of water. The masked figure then sweeps the guard's feet out from under him with the empty bucket. The door opens and the Blue Spirit enters. He brandishes two curved swords and runs forward to Aang, who screams in fear. The Blue Spirit approaches and two sword cuts are heard. Aang pulls his arms back in surprise – the Blue Spirit has freed him. He looks at his liberator in wonder. The Blue Spirit comes closer and cuts his remaining bonds, turns and walks back toward the door.

"Who are you? What's going on? Are you here to rescue me?" The Blue Spirit opens the door and motions for him to follow. "I'll take that as a "yes."" He starts to follow then stops. "My friend is here. If they find out I'm gone they could hurt her."

"No need." Cadi says from behind the Blue Spirit. "Fire Nation guards are stupid." She smiled. "Hello there." She winks at him and starts to walk away. "Follow me."

He and Aang follow her out past the gagged and tied guard at the door to his chamber. He hears frog noises and turns to see his frogs on the floor.

"My frogs! Come back! And stop thawing out!" The Blue Spirit comes back, picks him up by the collar and carries him out. "Wait! My friends need to suck on those frogs!"

...

"I want a full transcription of my speech sent to the Fire Lord, along with glowing testimonials from all of the ranking officers present, and –" Zhao starts.

He cuts himself off as he hears moans. To Zhao's right, soldiers that the Blue Spirit tied still lie. Zhao, upset, slams open the door to Aang's prison cell. It is empty, except for a frog which "ribbits" at him from the floor. Zhao turns in anger and leaves, the scribe in tow.

"Sir, should I hold off sending that speech to the Fire Lord?"

…

The three would-be escapees are now scaling a rope on the innermost wall of the fortress. They are spotted. "There, on the wall!"

A soldier appears at the top of the wall they are climbing. He cuts the rope and the pair fall down the wall, Aang screaming. Aang air bends them to a soft landing. When the dust clears, the Blue Spirit unsheathes his swords and they run.

"The Avatar has escaped! Close all the gates immediately!" Zhao shouted.

"Stay close to me!" Aang yelled.

The third gate is closing in front of them, as are the two beyond it, and it is blocked by many soldiers. Aang air bends a blast of air that blows them out of the way. Aang makes the gate, but the Blue Spirit gets involved in melee and has to stop. Aang turns to see his liberator in trouble. He grabs a spear from a guard near him, air bends him out of the way, breaks the head off the spear and launches back into battle to save his new friend. The gate closes behind him. The Blue Spirit is surrounded, but Aang air bends them all out of the way. With a mighty effort he then catapults his liberator to the top of the third wall. He is instantly surrounded, but Aang appears using his staff as a helicopter blade. He plucks the Blue Spirit off the wall and heads into the next courtyard.

Aang struggles to keep them aloft. The Blue Spirit uses his swords to knock the spears sent up at them by the guards. They barely next the top of the next wall as they crash unceremoniously onto the battlement. Aang's staff goes spinning away as guards instantly rush them. Aang runs for his staff, but a guard stops him, taking several swings at Aang with his sword. The Blue Spirit throws the guard over the wall. Aang then air bends the other guards off the wall.

…

During the time of Aang and the Blue Spirit try to escape, Arcadia is on top of the wall standing in front of Zhao.

"You know, if you hadn't been a fire bender, we could have made it work." She smiled at him. It was a cruel and misjudged for kindness smile she always used when she was talking to an enemy. "I really liked you. You haven't aged a day either."

He coughed. "Guards! Leave." Zhao yelled. They left immediately. "What do you want?"

"To try and make it work. I can forgive and forget. I can make it worth it. I can even try my hardest to get you the Avatar." She smiled at him again, wider this time. "Let me try."

"You wouldn't betray him like that."

"I would if it meant I could be loved again and if not again, at least once." Her eyes filled with sorrow.

"I did love you."

"Could you again?"

"Probably not."

"You don't have the slightest urge to kiss me right now, no matter how much our age varies?" She asked with pleading eyes. It was like she wanted him to kiss her.

"I would but I don't think it'd be appropriate right now." He cleared his throat.

"Screw appropriate." She stepped forward and kissed him full on the mouth. He actually kissed back.

It took a few minutes of kissing before a guard came up to interrupt.

"I'm sorry to interrupt Admiral, but they prisoners have escaped."

Arcadia had stepped back when the guard arrived and as soon as she heard they were out, she jumped over the wall.

Zhao turned with wide-eyes because he knew what had just happened. She was gone. He looked down the side of the wall and saw her walking away.

She turned for just a moment to wink at him and smile before running off.

…

"You know what the worst part about being born over a hundred years ago is? I miss all the friends I used to hang out with. Before the war started, I used to always my friend Kuzan. The two of us, we'd get in and out of so much trouble together. He was one of the best friends I ever had – and he was from the Fire Nation, just like you. If we knew each other back then, do you think we could have been friends too?" Aang asked.

Zuko pauses, then lets loose a huge gout of flame at him, but Aang dodges and flies away on a current of air. Zuko watches him hop away from tree branch to tree branch and out sight.

"Jees, rough." Zuko turned and saw Arcadia standing beside of tree. She had dark marks under her eyes and ruffled hair. "Thanks for saving him by the way and you're welcome for being saved by me."

"What do you mean?"

"I feel bad but I did what I had to. I distracted Zhao for you."

Zuko paused. "How?"

"I kissed him." She looked down. "It was terrible. No wonder he doesn't have a girlfriend." He chuckled at her random thoughts.

"I don't like it, but thank you for doing it." He half-smiled at her and she stepped forward. Zuko's initial reaction was to step back, but he didn't this time.

"Don't worry, I washed my mouth." She laughed and smiled before kissing Zuko. "I'd like it if you decided to capture me next time instead of save me." She kissed him again. "Go back to your ship. I'll be waiting." She smiled before walking off.

…

"Where have you been, Prince Zuko? You missed music night! Lieutenant Jee sang a stirring love song." Iroh said.

"I'm going to bed. No disturbances."

Iroh rubs his head and begins to blow his horn again, echoing the same sad dirge that has been playing for much of the day.

…

"Suck on these. They'll make you feel better." Aang said.

Aang collapse backwards onto Appa's beaver like tail with a sigh and Arcadia walks in and stretches before doing her backflip and lying next to Aang.

"Great day." She smiled before turning over and already sleeping.

"Aang, how was your trip? Did you make any new friends?"

"No, I don't think I did."

Aang rolls over.

"Mmmm! This is tasty! Mmm!"

It thaws out and begins moving around and croaking. Sokka realize what it is and spits it out in disgust. Katara and Ari's frogs have also thawed. She cries out and it hops out of her mouth. Ari, Katara and Sokka begin spitting and coughing.


	8. Bato and June

It was daytime, short of a shoreline. The surf breaks against jagged rocks that jut out of the ocean close to shore. A water tribe blade has been stuck in the ground in a forested area. Aang picks up the blade, Sokka coming up behind him.

"Hey look! A sword made out of a whale's tooth." Aang said.

"Lemme see that." He examines the weapon. "This is a water tribe weapon. See if you can find anything else." Sokka yelled.

"Did someone lose something?" Ari said.

"No, we found something." Aang said from inside a bush.

Sokka brushed away some leaves from a broken arrow on the ground. He picks it up and inspects it. "It's burned." He says as Katara walks over with Cadi.

He throws it away and walks over to a tree with burn marks. "There was a battle. Water tribe warriors ambushed a group of fire benders." He looks down at the ground and begins to walk downhill as he interprets the signs left in the earth. "The fire benders fought back, but the warriors drove them down this hill..." He runs down the hill, the others in tow. They soon come to the beach.

"So then what happened?" Cadi asked.

"I don't know. The trail ends here." Sokka said.

"Wait! Look!" Katara says pointing.

"It's one of our boats!" Sokka yelled as he ran to the water tribe boat washed onto the beach.

"Is this... Dad's boat?" Katara asked.

"No, but it's from his fleet. Dad was here." Sokka said smiling.

….

Iroh is drinking tea. He and Zuko sitting at a table in a cabin on Zuko's ship. Iroh pours Zuko some tea after he takes his sip.

"Ahh! See, Prince Zuko, a moment of quiet is good for your mental well-being." Iroh said.

As Zuko raises the cup to drink, a shock causes it to splash the tea all over his face. He wipes it away and gets up from table, making angry noises. A young, dark haired woman has appeared on deck riding a massive and hideous monster. Members of Zuko's crew scatter as the monster climbs the railing and onto the deck.

"Get back! We're after a stowaway." June said.

"There are no stowaways on my ship." Zuko said back.

The monster, a shirshu, proceeds to rip out a chunk of deck plating and hurls it aft. It sticks its head into the gaping hole, nearby a barrel falls over and a man crawls out, whimpering. The man crawls out onto the foredeck where the shirshu quickly whips the back of his neck with its tongue. He falls instantly onto the deck, conscious but paralyzed, with Iroh and Zuko looking on in the background.

"He's paralyzed." Zuko said.

"Only temporarily." She said as she picked up the man. "The toxins will wear off in about an hour. But by then he'll be in jail and I'll have my money."

"But how did you find him on my ship?"

"My shirshu can smell a rat a continent away."

"Well, I'm impressed." Iroh said. She cracks her whip and the shirshu bolts off the ship and down the dock. "Very impressed." Iroh said stoking his chin.

...

The gang and Appa are around a campfire in front of the water tribe boat they found on the beach. Katara, Ari and Aang are asleep, Sokka and Cadi are not. He tends the fire in silence, lost in thought

"I can tell you miss him." Cadi said snapping Sokka out of his thoughts.

"A lot."

"How long has it been?" She asked.

"Two years."

"Me too." She smiled a sad smile at him. "I'm sorry about that. At least you still have Katara."

"You still have Ari also."

"I don't know what I'd do without him." She sighed. "Without anyone."

"What do you mean?" Cadi was about to answer when someone interrupted them.

"Sokka?" Bato asked.

"Bato?"

"Who the what now?" Aang said waking up.

"Bato!"

"Sokka! Katara! It is so good to see you two! Oh, you've grown so much."

"Hi, I'm Aang."

"Where's Dad?"

"Is he here?"

"No, he and the other warriors should be in the eastern Earth Kingdom by now." The wind picks up and they all shiver. "Brr! This is no place for a reunion. Let's get inside."

He puts his arms around Katara and Sokka's shoulder and motions the others to follow. Appa begins to walk away from the campfire after them.

"After I was wounded, your father carried me to this abbey. The sisters have cared for me ever since. Superior, these are Hakoda's children. They've been traveling with the Avatar. I found them by my boat." Bato said.

"Young Avatar, it gives me great joy to be in your presence. Welcome to our abbey."

"Thank you! It's truly an honor to be here. If there's anything –"

"What smells so good, Bato?" Sokka said cutting Aang off and sniffing the air.

"The sisters craft ointments and perfumes."

"Perfume? Maybe we could dump some on Appa? Because he stinks so much! Am I right?"

"You have your father's wit." Bato said, unamused.

…

Someone gets thrown through the wall above the door, landing in the foreground and crying out painfully upon impact. June arm-wrestles a beefy man. They are in a tavern that is filled to capacity with revelers. The beefy man is sweating in his attempt to best the beautiful bounty hunter. She does not even appear to be trying. Suddenly, Zuko appears, forcing his way through the crowd.

"Out of my way! Step aside, filth!"

Iroh appears in Zuko's wake with a smile, addressing the people his nephew has just thrust aside.

"He means no offense! I'm sure you bathe regularly."

Zuko and Iroh at the table where June is arm-wrestling. During the conversation the beefy man continues to grunt and struggle against June's grip.

"I need to talk to you."

"Well, if it isn't my new friends, Angry Boy and Uncle Lazy."

Iroh laughs heartily for a moment before June ends the contest with one swift movement. The crowd erupts and a lot of money changes hands, much of it ending up in a big pile in front of June.

"Your beast trashed my ship. You have to pay me back."

"Aww, I'd love to help you out, but I'm a little short on money." June said grabbing multiple gold coins.

"Money isn't what I had in mind."

"I need you to find someone."

"What happened? Your girlfriend run off on you?"

"It's not the girl I'm after; it's the bald monk she's traveling with."

"Whatever you say."

"If you find them, I'll consider the damage to my ship paid for."

"Heh! Forget it."

She turns and begins to climb into her saddle.

"Plus we'll pay your weight in gold." Iroh says.

She smiles, gets down and walks over to Iroh.

"Make it your weight and we got a deal."

"You got it!" Iroh said laughing.

"Get on."

June walks over to the shirshu and lets it smell the necklace. June jumps into the saddle in front of Zuko and Iroh. They take off.

…

At the base of the hill in the old, decrepit town square, the Herbalist is crouched near the ground harvesting some plants. Near her is her cat, Miyuki, who tenses and hisses at the sound of the shirshu approaching. The Herbalist rises and the shot cuts wide to show the old woman looking at the three atop the shirshu.

"Out for a bit of fresh air, are we?"

"We're looking for someone."

"I hope it's not Miyuki." She looks down at her cat. "Miyuki, did you get in trouble with the Fire Nation again?"

"The Avatar's been through here. Let's keep moving." She cracks her whip and the shirshu takes off.

…

"A messenger gave this to me for Bato. You have to understand, I was afraid you'd –" Aang said after 'ice' dodging with Bato, Katara and Sokka.

"This is the map to our father! You had it the whole time!? How could you? Well, you can go to the North Pole on your own! I'm going to find Dad." Sokka yelled

"Now Sokka, I think you should –" Bato said.

"Katara, are you with me?" Sokka asked cutting Bato off.

"I'm with you, Sokka." Katara said walking away.

Ari and Cadi walk up to Aang laughing. "Hey Aang." Cadi said.

"Hi."

"What's wrong?" Ari asked. "Where is everyone?"

"Gone."

"What happened?"

"I kept a message from their father from them, they don't trust me."

"Why did you do that?"

"I didn't want them to leave." He sighed.

"Hey, you still have us." Cadi said smiling.

Aang looked at her and smiled only half of his usual smile.

…

"We're getting close." June said. June whips the shirshu again and it bounds out of the gate and up the road the Katara, Sokka and Bato used.

"That wolf sounds so sad."

"It's probably wounded."

"No, it's been separated from the pack. I understand that pain. It's how I felt when the water tribe warriors had to leave me behind. They were my family and being apart from them was more painful than my wounds."

"Sokka?"

"We need to go back. I want to see Dad, but helping Aang is where we're needed the most."

"You're right."

"Your father will understand. And I know he's proud of you."

"Thanks, Bato."

"I know where to go from here take this in case you want to find us. I'll leave a message at the rendezvous point."

…

"So this is your girlfriend." Zuko hops down and approaches her. "No wonder she left. She's way too pretty for you."

"My girlfriend is prettier." He said to June. He slightly blushed because he just said that but got over it and looked at Katara. "Where is he? Where's the Avatar?"

"We split up! He's long gone'.

"How stupid do you think I am?"

"Pretty stupid. Run!"

They run, but the shirshu paralyzes them both with its tongue before they get very far.

"What are we supposed to do now?"

"It's seeking a different scent – perhaps something that the Avatar held."

The shirshu moves forward and starts sniffing the paralyzed pair. The map scroll falls out of Sokka's backpack and rolls onto the ground. The trail leads back into the woods.

…

The gate is blown open again as the monster and its riders bust through again, sending sisters running away screaming in all directions. The shirshu begins walking around, sniffing.

"What's it doing? It's just going around in a circle!"

Aang enters on his glider. He flies up to the monster, which jumps up to snap at him. He misses, but does manage to dump his riders onto the floor of the courtyard. The shirshu also falls flat on his back.

"Aang! Where are the others?" Sokka asks.

"Here." Ari said. "Cadi is just prowling around." He smiled at his sister's slyness.

June gets up and whips the ground. The shirshu gets up and roars, June jumping onto its back. They charge after Aang. Right before impact, Appa appeared and plows right into the shirshu, pushing him and his rider. They plow into the wall of building, knocking a hole through it.

Zuko fires a huge gout of flame at Aang, who blocks it by twirling his staff to break it up. They trade several rounds of blows, all of which miss or are blocked. Finally the two fire volleys simultaneously and both are blown backwards onto the roofs behind them.

Iroh rushes up to the bounty hunter and pats the side of her face. She wakes up, rises to her feet. She cracks her whips and says something unintelligible. Then shirshu rises to its feet, she jumps in the saddle and they head back into battle. They charge Appa who is on the other side of the courtyard. Appa soars into the air as they reach him, but the shirshu lashes Appa's tail with his tongue. Appa lands on the other side of the courtyard. He struggles to stay standing.

The monsters charge each other after June whips the shirsu again, and they have a head on collision, throwing June over Appa's head, whom she whips as she passes. She lands on the ground and rolls away just as Appa's foot plants itself deep into the ground where she had just been.

"I wouldn't do that again." Cadi said as her water whip lashes June's face.

"Dear friend, what a pleasure." She smiles rudely before advancing on Cadi.

"It's been a long time." Cadi stands up straight. "Perhaps, a conversation?" She smiles and walks over to a barrel and sits on it. June looks at the mess around her and decides to do the same.

…

He throws a blast of the fire at the Avatar who flips over Zuko's head to land behind him. They exchange blows with Aang eventually knocking Zuko off the roof. Appa turns down in the courtyard and uses his tail to create a gale that blows tiles off the roof as the shirshu passes.

Katara and Sokka are leaning up against the wall of the abbey. Sokka is wiggling his arm a bit.

"I'm starting to get some feeling back!" A bunch of tiles fall on them. "Ow!"

A few more melee shots of Aang being pursued is replaced by Iroh testing out perfumes nearby. He finds one he likes, looks from side to side to make sure no one is looking and then tucks the bottle into his robe, a mischievous smile on his face.

Aang and Zuko are dueling once again, this time a covered well is between them. They trade volleys. Aang suddenly sees Katara's necklace in Zuko's hand.

"You've got something I want!"

They trade volleys again with Zuko soon destroying the well's covering. They dance around on the lip of the well, neither one able to gain decisive advantage over the other. Aang keeps trying to grab the necklace, but fails. Then Zuko lunges after Aang and misses. As he passes, Aang uses puts his foot through the loop of the necklace, catching it. He then disappears down the well, with Zuko firing a huge gout of flame after him in frustration. Zuko is launched into the air as Aang reappears atop a huge jet of water and lands in the foreground. Rain from the huge jet of water begins to fall around him, quickly followed by Zuko hitting the ground.

Zuko gets up and the duel begins anew, but this time Appa advances threateningly on Zuko. Before Appa can strike him, however, the shirshu lashes him three times in a row with his tongue. Appa tries to stay up, but can't. He keels over, paralyzed.

The Superior puts some kind of perfume under their noses and they are then able to move better.

"That thing sees with its nose. Let's give him something to look at."

"The perfume?"

Sokka nods.

…

"What a mess." Cadi shook her head. "Shame too, this was a beautiful place."

"The Prince wanted to find the Avatar. It seems like he doesn't have a heart but he said he had a girlfriend." Cadi looked up. "He said she was prettier than that water bender outside." June shook her head. "The only person I see that's prettier than her, is you." June smiled.

"What are you smiling at?"

"I saw it when we rode in, you're dating the fire boy."

"I'm not dating him!" Cadi blushed. "He will be punished for ever thinking I would date him without being asked." Cadi got up and was watched by June.

"Punish him!" June laughed.

…

"Aang, get away from Zuko!" Cadi yelled. "I must have this lovely dance." She smiled and whipped Zuko in the head.

"I'll help Appa." Aang said before running to his friend.

"What is it you want?" Zuko said rudely.

"Now, that's no way to talk to your 'girlfriend' is it?"

Zuko's eyes widened. "I never meant it."

"You said it." Cadi took a few steps forward. "So you want it."

"No."

"Doesn't matter." She looked him in the eyes. "Do you remember when I said I was a warrior in disguise?"

Zuko nodded and Cadi stepped forward landing a few blows on Zuko and when he tried to fight back she grabbed his fist and twisted his arm behind his back while sweeping his leg and making him fall on his stomach. "I'd like to be treated like one." She said. She leaned closer to him. "Respected."

She lightly kicked him on his back and sat on him with his arms above his head. "By respecting me, you will actually ask me to date you instead of just saying it."

"I don't." He said.

"Not from what I can tell." She smiled and he blushed because he knew from where she was sitting, she could feel him getting turned on.

"Maybe I do, but not here or now. It must be perfect." Cadi let go of his arms.

"Why?"

Zuko hesitated. "You're perfect." Zuko said before kicked Arcadia off of him and on to the ground and throwing her toward shirshu. Shirshu's tongue shot at her but she dodged it and ran at Zuko and tackled him.

He was still turned on now but not to where anything was up. (hehe) He loved fighting with her. It was always a difficult challenge where she seemed to be better every time.

This was easy though because shirshu's tongue came from behind Arcadia and she fell to the ground. Zuko was at her side in less than a second. He picked her up and carried her to the barrel beside June.

"How sweet." June said. "You showed my best friend some kindness."

"Friend?" Zuko said surprised.

"The best." She winked and shooed Zuko away.

…

The sisters and Sokka moved huge white pots of perfume out into the courtyard who then dump the perfume onto the ground. Katara water bends the perfume into a huge sheet, moves it over to the shirshu, and drops it. The monster shakes off the liquid.

It breaks open a few jars, paws the tiles of the roof of one of the buildings, then jumps over the wall and disappears.

Aang picks up his staff, Katara and Sokka approaching him from behind.

Zuko and Iroh are lying flat on the ground. June goes after her pet and they ride off. Arcadia trails the group, leaving the small buildings behind her. She turned back towards Zuko, still on the ground. She continued on, leaving him behind her as well.

"So, where do we go?" Aang said.

"We're getting you to the North Pole." Sokka said.

"Yeh, we've lost too much time as it is." Ari agreed.

"Don't you want to see your father?"

"Of course we do, Aang. But, you're our family too, and right now, you need us more." Katara replied.

"And we need you."

"I wish I could give you a little piece of home, Katara. Something to remind you –"

"I'll be okay."

"Still, just a little trinket. Maybe something like...this!" Aang jumps up, proudly offering Katara her necklace, a huge smile on his face.

Katara grabbed the necklace and put it on happily. "Aang, how did you get that?"

"Zuko asked to be sure I got it to you."

"Oh, that's so sweet of Zuko. Would you give him a kiss for me when you see him?"

"Sure! Though maybe Cadi should be doing that."

Katara kisses Aang's cheek. He blushes and twiddles his thumbs.

**7 MINUTES LATER**

"What did you say about me kissing Zuko?!" Cadi yelled.

"That was forever ago! You're so slow!" Ari yelled. Everyone laughed including Cadi.


	9. Finding the Water Tribe

"I'm not one to complain, but can't Appa fly any higher?" Sokka asked because the bison was flying on the tip of the water.

He is clearly tired. He glides lower, his feet brushes the water.

"I have an idea, why don't we all get on your back and you can fly us to the North Pole?" Aang said angrily.

"I'd love to! Climb on everyone," he wiggles his butt at everyone, "Sokka's ready for takeoff!" Momo jumps up on Sokka in response to his invitation.

"Look, we're all just a little tired and cranky because we've been flying for two days straight."

"And for what? We can't even find the Northern Water Tribe. There's nothing up here."

Suddenly a noise is heard up ahead. Ice is moving rapidly towards Appa. Aang screams and pulls Appa's reigns to starboard. Appa banks right and avoids the ice, but almost tips his passengers off the saddle, who hang on for dear life. Appa then banks left as another jet of ice erupts out of the waves, but this one slams into Appa's underside, who drops in an uncontrolled spin into the water. Out of the icebergs several ornate wooden skiffs come to surround Appa. They are manned by people in water tribe garb.

"They're water benders! We found the Water Tribe!" Katara yelled.

…

"There it is!" Aang yells.

"The Northern Water Tribe..." Ari said.

"We're finally here..." Cadi sighed.

The water bender crew water bends in unison. The water benders have removed a semi-circular opening to reveal a tunnel that leads into the city. One of the water benders on the skiff in the foreground. He motions them forward and Appa swims in. The water benders open sluice gates along the three walls of the lock to raise the water level. The wall opposite the main city wall begins to lower itself, ultimately to free a path for Appa to continue.

"I can't believe how many water benders live up here!"

"We'll find a master to teach us, no problem!"

"This place is beautiful." Cadi said.

…

Iroh is singing slightly out of tune. "Winter, spring, summer and fall. Winter and spring, summer and fall. Four seasons, four loves. Four seasons, four loves."

During the song, two crewmen dance in front of the fire. Then a group of masked Fire Nation soldiers board the ship including Admiral Zhao. The music stops as the intruders are noted. Iroh and the others turn to look at the newcomers.

…

Prince Zuko is in a dark cabin on his ship. His arms are folded across his chest. The door at the far end of the cabin opens and Iroh leans in. Zuko does not look at him.

"For the last time, I'm not playing the sumki horn."

"No, it's about our plans. There's a bit of a problem."

Zhao enters the room behind Iroh.

"I'm taking your crew."

"What!?"

"I've recruited them for a little expedition to the North Pole."

"Uncle, is that true?"

"I'm afraid so. He's taking everyone." He puts his arm over his face. "Even the cook!"

"Sorry you won't be there to watch me capture the Avatar. But I can't have you getting in my way again."

Zuko charges him in anger, but Iroh prevents him from tackling Zhao, who walks over to inspect the curved broadswords on the wall – the same used by the Blue Spirit to free the Avatar. Zhao's face is swollen in anger as he recognizes the blades.

He takes one off the wall, Zuko's eyes wide and mouth open, clearly recognizing the danger he is in. Iroh, visible over Zuko's shoulder, does not.

"I didn't know you were skilled with broadswords, Prince Zuko."

"I'm not. They're antiques. Just decorative."

"Have you heard of the Blue Spirit, General Iroh?"

"Just rumors. I don't think he is real."

"He's real all right. He's a criminal, an enemy of the Fire Nation." He hands the broad sword to Iroh. "But I have a feeling that justice will catch up with him soon." Zhao moves to exit the cabin. "General Iroh, the offer to join my mission still stands if you change your mind."

…

"I've waited for this day my whole life! I finally get to learn from a real water bending master!" Katara exclaims.

"I could have taught you." Cadi looks up, bored.

"No offense, but I want to learn from a master."

Cadi shot her a distasteful look. "Have you seen my fight?" She raised her voice slightly, obviously irritated. "Oh, never mind. I just can't wait to watch."

"Good morning, Master Pakku!" Aang said.

"No, please, march right in, I'm not concentrating or anything."

"Uhh... this is my friend, Katara, the one I told you about?"

Katara bows while Aang introduces her. Master Pakku looks over at her as if she were a bug.

Master Pakku created an ice chair for him to sit down in. "I'm sorry. I think there's been a misunderstanding. You didn't tell me your friend was a girl. In our tribe, it is forbidden for women to learn water bending."

"What do you mean you won't teach me? I didn't travel across the entire world so you could tell me "no"!"

"No."

"But there must be other female water benders in your tribe!"

"Here the women learn from Yugoda to use their water bending to heal. I'm sure she would be happy to take you as her student despite your bad attitude."

"I don't want to heal, I want to fight!"

"I can see that. But our tribe has customs, rules."

"Well your rules stink!" Katara said. Cadi followed her as she left.

"Like I said, I'll teach you." Cadi smiled and Katara was just thankful someone could teach her.

…

"I'm very impressed. You all seem highly qualified for the mission I have in mind."

A pair of hands reaches for the chest and pulls it towards him. The entire pirate gang, including the Captain, open the chest to reveal glowing riches inside. The Pirate Salesmen removes a gold piece and bites it.

"What do you need us to do?"

"I believe you're acquainted with Prince Zuko?"

…

"The crew wanted me to wish you safe travels."

"Good riddance to those traitors."

"It's a lovely night for a walk. Why don't you join me? It would clear your head. Or, just stay in your room and sit in the dark. Whatever makes you happy."

Iroh leaves, closing the door behind him.

…

"Careful with the blasting jelly!"

Pirate Barker turning one of the door latches. It makes a much larger noise then he thought. Zuko sat straight up in bed, alarmed.

"Uncle?" Opening his door to look out into the corridor. "Uncle, is that you?"

He jumps out into the hallway in a fighting stance. Warily, he advances to the bridge, ready for instant combat around every corner. At last, Zuko turns and looks out one of the bridge windows to see the Pirate Captain's green parrot. It croaks at him and then takes off. The bridge deck and main deck explode, blasting Zuko out the bridge window. Another explosion rips the vessel completely open mid ship.

…

"What do you want me to do? Force Master Pakku to take Aang back as his student?"

"Yes – please!"

"I suspect he might change his mind if you swallow your pride and apologize to him."

"Fine."

"I'm waiting, little girl."

"No! No way am I apologizing to a sour old man like you!"

A she speaks, cracks open in the floor beneath her as her water bending abilities begin to get out of control. She ends up by pointing directly at Master Pakku, her finger almost in his face. At the conclusion of her statement, the massive water pots at either end of the dais.

"I'll be outside if you're man enough to fight me."

...

"I'm devastated to hear about Prince Zuko. Just devastated."

"The Fire Lord will not be pleased he learns who was responsible."

"You know who... was behind the attack?"

"Yes... pirates! We had a run in with them awhile back. They wanted revenge."

"So, have you reconsidered my offer?"

"Yes, I accept. It will be an honor to serve as your general. To the Fire Nation!"

"To victory!"

…

"Are you crazy, Katara? You're not gonna win this fight!"

"I know! I don't care!"

"You don't have to do this for me. I can find another teacher."

"I'm not doing it for you! Someone needs to slap some sense into that guy!"

"And if you end up in a situation where you can no longer fight, I am the only other girl water bender that can stand a chance, so I will whoop his ass just for you." Katara smiled at Cadi. She was thankful she always had her back.

They reach the bottom of the steps as Master Pakku appears at the top. Katara turns and sees him.

"So, you decided to show up? Aren't you gonna fight?"

"Go back to the healing huts with the other women where you belong."

Insanely angry, Katara draws a water whip out of the ground and whips Pakku on the back on the neck. He stops.

"Fine. You want to learn to fight so bad, study closely!"

Either side of the plaza at the bottom of the steps there are two huge pools. Master Pakku grabs most of the water in each and bends it around himself. Katara runs at him, but she is flung backwards when she is hit by the water. She stands, now perhaps ten feet from Pakku. He bends the water in a wall around both of them. It spins faster and faster creating a whirlpool effect.

"Don't worry, I'm not going to hurt you!"

The whirlpool constricts, but before Katara is knocked back down she swings her arm, almost as if she were swinging a baseball bat, deflecting the wall of water off on a different trajectory. He raises a ramp of ice in front of her which she slides up and then back flips off, landing neatly on the guardrail of the citadel steps behind him. Pakku liquefies the ramp and throws it at her while catching her feet in ice. The wave breaks around Katara, however, as she bends it out of the way.

"You can't knock me down!"

The crowd behind her cheers.

"Go Katara!"

A very angry and determined Katara is bearing down on him. Pakku raises a sheet of ice between him and the raging girl. Katara liquefies the ice as she reaches it and throws several blows at Pakku, one of which narrowly misses his face, before he washes her out of his way and into one of the pools with a wave of water. She breaks the surface of the water and the crowd cheers. Katara then raises a circular pedestal of ice out of the fountain pool and begins to shoot slivers of the top of the pedestal at Pakku. When it is gone, he turns back to Katara with a bewildered and, perhaps, somewhat impressed look on his face. Katara runs at him again, but he washes her backwards and onto her behind when he releases the stream of water. Her hair disheveled, breathing heavily. She makes a motion and the segmented pillars of ice behind Pakku collapse, narrowly missing him.

"Well, I'm impressed. You are an excellent water bender."

"But you still won't teach me, will you?"

"No."

Pakku is raising a huge column of water out of one of the pools, making a whirlpool out of it in the air and then freezing it into shards the whirlpool disintegrates. Katara is now standing in front of Pakku, but the shards land closely all around her. She is trapped. She struggles in vain against her prison of ice, her hands and arms unable to move.

"This fight is over."

"Come back here! I'm not finished yet!"

"Yes, you are."

"Cadi!" Katara yells.

"Who is this person you call? No one can defeat me." Pakku says.

"Let's see." Cadi walks down the steps. Sokka, Aang and Ari cheer.

"Another girl? Pathetic." Pakku was trapped inside an ice blocked.

"You're the pathetic one, old man." Cadi smiled as she walked past Pakku.

Pakku looks at her in surprise. "I will not fight you."

"Why not?"

"I won't fight a princess of any nation but the Fire nation."

"Be that way. You're still bitter." Cadi walked away towards Katara and the ice block melted around Pakku. He begins to walk away.

He stops in surprise, picking up the necklace.

"This is my necklace!"

"No it's not, it's mine! Give it back!"

"I made this sixty years ago – for the love of my life. For Kana."

"My Gran-Gran was supposed to marry you?"

…

Ships line the dock at the Fire Navy base. Iroh walks down a corridor in Zhao's ship, a guard walking in the other direction. They stop when abreast of each other and begin to whisper.

"Our plan is working perfectly. Zhao doesn't suspect a thing."

"You didn't have to do this."

"No nephew of mine is going to stow away on a ship without some backup!"

"Thank you, Uncle."

"Someone's coming! Stay hidden until we get to the North Pole and the Avatar will be yours! Good luck!"

…

"I carved this necklace for your grandmother when we got engaged. I thought we would have a long, happy life together. I loved her."

"But she didn't love you, did she? It was an arranged marriage. Gran-Gran wouldn't let your tribe's stupid customs run her life. That's why she left. It must have taken a lot of courage."

…

"My fleet is ready. Set a course for the Northern Water Tribe."

Dozens of Fire Navy ships firing up their engines in preparation to launch the final assault on the Northern Water Tribe.


	10. The Seige of the North

"Pupil Aang!"

"Yes, Master Pakku?"

"Care to step into the sparring circle? I figure since you've found time to play with house pets you must have already mastered water bending."

Aang air bends himself to his feet. "I wouldn't say "mastered", but check this out!" Aang spins around, collecting snow around him as he goes. When he is done, he has made himself into a snowman. Momo pounces on him and knocks him down. Master Pakku shakes his head in disgust.

…

"This will truly be one for the history books, General Iroh. Just think, centuries from now, people will study the great Admiral Zhao who destroyed the last of the Water Tribe civilization. You're lucky you're here to see it."

"Be careful what you wish for, Admiral. History is not always kind to its subjects."

"I suppose you speak from experience? But rest assured, this will be nothing like your legendary failure at Ba-Sing-Se."

"I hope not, for your sake."

"Tell the Captains to prepare for first strike."

Iroh turns and walks away. Iroh and Zuko, still in his guard disguise, are talking in a hallway on Zhao's ship.

"We'll be landing soon. Do you have a plan?"

"I'm working on it, Uncle."

…

"The day we have feared for so long has arrived. The Fire Nation is on our doorstep. It is with great sadness I call my family here before me, knowing well that some of these faces are about to vanish from our tribe. But they will never vanish from our hearts. Now, as we approach the battle for our existence, I call upon the great spirits! Spirit of the Ocean! Spirit of the Moon! Be with us. I'm going to need volunteers for a dangerous mission."

"Count me in."

"Sokka!" Cadi and Katara yell. Many other men stand up in the crowd with him.

"Be warned. Many of you will not return. Come forward to receive my mark if you accept the task."

The men form a line in front of the Chief to receive his mark. It is three red lines on the forehead, made from some paint or ink that the Chief holds in a bowl in front of him. Sokka is the second in line. As Sokka leaves, he turns and makes eye contact with Yue before he turns again and walks away. Yue begins to cry silently.

…

"Men, you'll be infiltrating the Fire Nation navy. That means you'll all need one of these uniforms..."

The uniform he wears, while clearly of the Fire Nation, is not current standard issue. In particular, the shoulder armor has wings that curve upward. Laughter from Sokka is heard. He puts his hand over his mouth. The other warriors turn to look at him.

"What's your problem?"

"Fire Navy uniforms don't look like that."

"Of course they do. These are real uniforms captured from actual Fire Navy soldiers."

"When, like a hundred years ago?"

"Eighty five." The Chief said.

"The Fire Nation doesn't wear shoulder spikes anymore. The newer uniforms are more streamlined."

"How do we know we can trust this guy? Such bold talk for a new recruit."

"Trust Sokka on this, The Fire Navy wouldn't be caught dead wearing that." Ari said walking in. "You won't mind me joining would you?" He didn't wait for a reply. "Good." He smiled.

"Sokka is from our sister tribe, Hahn, he is a capable warrior and I value his input."

"Now, our first objective is to determine the identity of their commanding officer."

"His name is Zhao. Middle-aged. Big sideburns. Bigger temper." Ari said.

"Sokka, Ari, I want you to tell everything you know to Hahn, he is leading this mission. Hahn, show Sokka your respect. I expect nothing less from my future son-in-law."

Arnook leaves and Hahn pushes his hair back over his ears. Sokka's jaw has dropped in shock at the Chief's last pronouncement. He recovers and points an accusing finger at hahn.

"Princess Yue's marrying you?"

"Yeh, what of it?"

"Nothing, congratulations."

…

"It's almost twilight, Admiral. As your military consultant I must advise you to halt your attack. The water benders draw their power from the moon and it is nearly full tonight. You should wait and resume the attack at daybreak." Iroh said.

"Oh, I'm well aware of the moon problem and I am working on a solution. But for now, daybreak it is."

…

"If you're fishing for an octopus, my nephew, you need a tightly woven net or he will squeeze through the tiniest hole and escape."

"I don't need your wisdom right now, Uncle."

"I'm sorry, I just nag you because, well, ever since I lost my son..."

Iroh looks away, pain evident on his face.

"Uncle, you don't have to say it."

"I think of you as my own."

Zuko turns to him, a genuine look of concern and understanding on his face.

"I know, Uncle." He bows and salutes him with his arm over chest. "We'll meet again..."

Iroh rushes forward and gives him a bear hug.

"...after I have the Avatar."

He gets into the canoe and begins to lower it to the water.

"Remember your Breathe of Fire! It could save your life out there!"

"I will."

"And put your hood up, keep your ears warm!"

"I'll be fine."

Iroh looks worried as he watches his nephew depart.

…

Zuko navigates his canoe through the ice flows near the City. He is wrapped up in his grey garb. Nearby, turtle seals can be heard making noise. He floats silently near the damaged city wall, unseen by the sentries patrolling atop the damaged barrier. He beaches the craft on the ice near the wall and spies several turtle seals disappearing into a hole in the ice.

"Where are they going? They're coming up for air somewhere..."

He takes off his veil, takes a deep breath and plunges into the icy water.

…

"The legends say the moon was the first water bender. Our ancestors saw how it pushed and pulled the tides and learned how to do it themselves." Yue said.

"I've always noticed my water bending is stronger at night." Katara responded.

"Our strength comes from the Spirit of the Moon, our life comes from the Spirit of the Ocean. They work together to keep balance."

"The Spirits! Maybe I can find them and get their help!"

"How can you do that?"

"The Avatar is the bridge between our world and the Spirit World." Cadi said.

"Aang can talk to them!" Katara yelled happily.

"Maybe they'll give you the wisdom to win this battle!"

"Or, maybe they'll unleash a crazy amazing spirit attack on the Fire Nation!" Aang sees the look on everyone's face. "Or wisdom. That's good too."

"The only problem is, last time you got to the Spirit World by accident. How are you going to get there this time?"

"I have an idea, follow me."

…

Aang sits cross legged in front of the pond. He closes his eyes, makes two fists and puts his knuckles together in an attempt to meditate.

…

Another water hole is seen, its surface quickly broken by an out of breath Prince Zuko. He flops onto the ice floor of the cave, his breath making clouds of water vapor in front of him. He flips over, shiver, and blows fire into his hands to warm him up. He gets up.

"Be quiet!" Zuko yells at the noisy turtles.

They stop barking as he walks by, but begin once he passes. Zuko approaches a waterfall at the back of the cave. He enters the tunnel where the water is coming out.

…

"Is something wrong, Sokka?"

"Oh no! Hahn's out there on the top secret mission while I'm here sharpening my boomerang. Everything's fine!"

"Listen to me. I took you off the mission for selfish reasons. I have a special task in mind for you."

"What? You want me to scrub the barracks?"

"I want you to guard my daughter, Princess Yue."

"Er, sure. That shouldn't be too hard."

…

Zuko forces himself up the tunnel. He slips once, but keeps on moving. Finally he exits the tunnel into the bottom of a large pool of water. He swims up and breaks the surface, gasping for air. The top of the chamber is inches above his head. He regains his breathe, then looks just underneath the water line to scan for exits. He sees one, dives and enters another tunnel. Going around one bend and then up reveals what looks like an exit into open air, but when he reaches it, it proves to be just thinner, lighter colored ice. Running out of breath, he concentrates and superheats his hands to red hot and places them on the thin ice. He burns through it and emerges into an ice tunnel within the Water Tribe City. He lies down for a moment to regain his strength.

…

Aang is still in his meditation pose beside the pool, Katara and Yue behind him

"Why is he sitting like that?"

"He's meditating – trying to cross over into the Spirit World. It takes all his concentration."

"Is there any way we can help?"

"How 'bout some quiet!?" Turning to look at them, Katara putting a hand over her mouth.. "C'mon guys! I can hear every word you're saying!"

Cadi chuckled as he resumed his pose.

"He's crossing into the Spirit World. He'll be fine as long as we don't move his body. That's his way back to the physical world."

"Maybe we should get some help?"

"No, he's my friend. I'm perfectly capable of protecting him."

"Well, aren't you a big girl now?" Zuko's voice echoed. Cadi and Katara stood up straight and looked at Zuko with cold eyes even though Cadi's were slightly dancing.

"Hand him over, and I won't have to hurt you."

Katara assumes a water bending stance, while Yue runs off. Aang, oblivious, still communes with the Spirit World in front of the pond.

Zuko launches forward, firing several blasts of fire. Katara blocks all three with water from the pond. He fires several more as he advances, but on the last one she uses enough water to not only douse his fire, but hurl him backward and lay him flat on the ground.

"I see you've learned a new trick. But I didn't come this far to lose to you."

He fires another blast which she blocks. Katara then launches another stream of water at him, hurling him backwards again. He barely retains his balance, but Katara freezes the water beneath him. His feet are frozen in the ice. Then, with a massive output of effort, Katara raises a churning sphere of water from the main pool behind Zuko, encases him in it, and freezes him entirely.

"You little peasant. You've found a master, haven't you?"

As Zuko ends his comment, the ground begins to shake and the ice begins to glow yellow and orange. With an explosion of fire, the shell of ice shatters, releasing Zuko who promptly charges Katara. They trade shots which miss. Zuko gets behind Katara and almost grabs Aang's collar, but Katara blasts him out of the way with a jet of water. He gets blown over to the right ledge. While he tries to recover, Katara raises a huge wave of water that raises him to ten or more feet up the wall. She freezes him in place once again.

…

"It's daybreak at last. Let's write history." Zhao said.

…

Zuko's head droops in defeat. As the sunlight reaches him, though, his head snaps up with a look of determination. He breathes steam, melting the ice holding him in place. He slides down and charges Katara again. He fires a huge blast of fire. Katara, caught off guard while she walking back to Aang, blocks it only partially. She is thrown back into the post of the paifang gate and is knocked out. When the smoke clears, Zuko looks over her, his hand on Aang's collar, the sun shining bright in the background.

"You rise with the moon. I rise with the sun."

Zuko grabs Aang and she follows Zuko knowing that he knows she is right behind him.

"What did I say about walking next to me or being chained?" He chuckled.

She smiled at him slightly and got next to him. "I'm only walking with you to make sure you're out of the snow okay, then I'm fighting you and taking Aang back to where he needs to be."

…

"The Water Tribe can try to resist the inevitable, but their city will fall today."

…

Katara emerges from her involuntary nap. Her eyes open suddenly, and she gets to her knees with a start. Aang and Zuko are gone. Momo chitters and runs across the grass.

Appa lands, Sokka and Yue in the saddle. They move to hop down.

"What happened? Where's Zuko?"

"He took Aang. He took him right out from under me."

"Where did they go?"

…

Zuko struggles through the storm, carrying Aang, whose marking still glow white. The disappear into the snow.

…

It is daylight and the battle for the survival of the Northern Water Tribe has begun in earnest. The four fireballs land at various points within the city and explode

"I can't believe I lost him."

"You did everything you could and now we need to do everything we can to get him back. Zuko can't have gotten far. We'll find him. Aang's gonna be fine."

"Okay."

She walks by Momo, who looks out over the pond. He chitters softly and sadly.

"It's all right. You stay here, Momo, in case Aang comes back."

"Yip! Yip!"

Appa launches himself into the air and out of the sanctuary into the frozen, snowing wasteland above. Appa flies over the ice dunes, the snowing coming down hard from the dark, gray sky.

…

"Shelter!" Cadi yells. She goes inside the cave and sits.

Zuko appears, dragging Aang inside by the collar. Outside the blizzard continues. He dumps him at the back of the cave and ties his hands behind his back with some of the rope he is carrying.

"I'm sorry you came out in the cold." Zuko said.

"I did it for you."

"Well, stop caring because I don't need your help."

"I don't care if you need it or not, I'm here either way."

"I don't care about you."

"What?"

"I don't care…" He had tears in his eyes as he faced the blizzard away from her shiny emerald eyes. "About you."

"Whatever." She said as she turned to Aang. "I don't care either. I didn't want you to lose Aang." She lied believably enough. "He shouldn't die at your hands." She scooted towards Aang and took off her jacket and placed it around him. Zuko turned and saw her shiver slightly. He took off his grey hoodie and walked over and handed it to her.

"I thought you didn't care." She looked at the hoodie only.

"I don't." He dropped the hoodie on her lap and walked away.

"I hate you!" She said as she threw the hoodie at Zuko's head. He turned and glared into her icy tear stained eyes.

He walked toward her and kissed her with just as much passion as before.

…

Cadi left to try and find anything outside. Zuko was talking to Aang even though he couldn't hear anything.

"I finally have you. But I can't get you home because of this blizzard. There's always something. Not that you would understand. You're like my sister. Everything always...came easy to her. She's a fire bending prodigy – and everyone adores her. My father says she was born lucky. He says I was lucky to be born. I don't need luck though, I don't want it. I've always had to struggle and fight and that's made me strong. It's made me who I am.

Zuko didn't know Cadi had stopped right outside to listen to what he was saying.

…

I don't need to remind you we have a time limit. If we don't defeat the Water Tribe before the full moon rises they will be undefeatable.

"I assure you I have everything under control. I intend to remove the moon as a factor."

"Remove the moon!? How?"

"Admiral Choi!" Hahn said taking off his helmet and throwing it aside. "Prepare to meet your fate!"

He rushes forward to Zhao, who casually throws him overboard. Hahn screams as he falls, then a loud splash is heard. Iroh looks down and shakes his head, then turns back to Zhao.

"As I was saying...years ago I stumbled upon a great and powerful secret...the identity of the Moon Spirit's mortal form."

"What?"

"I was a young Lieutenant serving under General Shu in the Earth Kingdom... I discovered a hidden library, underground in fact. I tore through scroll after scroll. One of them contained a detailed illustration and the words "moon" and "ocean." I knew then that these spirits could be found – and killed and that it was my destiny to do so."

"Zhao, the Spirits are not to be trifled with!"

"Yes, yes, I know you fear the Spirits, Iroh. I've heard rumors about your journey into the Spirit World. But the Ocean and Moon gave up their immortality to become a part of our world – and now they will face the consequences!"

"We'll be following this map to a very special location. And when we get there we're going fishing."

...

Like a comet, Aang arcs over the frozen landscape. He is seen by Katara as he flies over them.

"Look! That's gotta be Aang!"

Sokka flips Appa's reigns to fly follow the spirit comet. They quickly arrive at the cave where Aang, Cadi and Zuko have taken refuge. The comet enters the cave, briefly illuminating it from inside. His tattoos stops glowing and Aang wakes up. He struggles briefly against his bonds, then sits up to face Zuko.

"Welcome back."

"Good to be back."

With a mighty breath, he blows Zuko against the wall while simultaneously propelling himself out of the cave and into the open. He begins to grunt as he moves forward, caterpillar style, along the ground. Zuko grabs him by the collar and lifts him up.

"That won't be enough to escape."

"Enough!" Cadi yells.

Appa appears over Zuko's head.

"Appa!"

Appa lands and Zuko drops Aang in the snow. Katara dismounts Appa to face him again.

"Here for a rematch?"

"Trust me, Zuko, it's not going to be much of a match."

She blocks a fireball just as she finishes her sentence while Sokka and Yue look on from Appa's saddle. She sends a shock wave of ice hurtling towards him. When it reaches Zuko, she encases him in a pillar of ice that she raises up high, then drops. Zuko falls to the ground unconscious. Sokka runs over and cuts Aang's bonds.

"Hey! This is some quality rope!"

"We need to get to the oasis! The spirits are in trouble!"

Aang gets up and runs to Appa. Both Sokka and Aang get on-board, Aang at the reigns. They are ready to go, but Aang stops and looks over at the Prince.

"Wait, we can't just leave him here."

"Sure we can. Let's go."

"No, if we leave him, he'll die."

Aang jumps down, grabs Zuko and brings back to Appa.

"Yeh, this makes a lot of sense. Let's bring the guy who's constantly trying to kill us!"

…

A pair of hands reaches into the pond. The right one grabs the white fish. It struggles, but the hand forces it into a bag held by the left hand. The moon, visible behind him over his left shoulder, colors over a blood red while the fish struggles in the bag.

…

The blood red light washes over it. The counterattack against the invaders falters as this happens. Pakku is still riding his water tornado as the blood red light sweeps over him. As it does, his tornado collapses. Another water bender whose water whip disintegrates as the light changes. In another part of the city, a war rhinoceros is getting washed away, but the force driving the wave vanishes as the light turns red. The soldier on the war rhinoceros is once again able to advance on the water benders who flee in panic.

…

Appa is flying silhouetted against the red moon. Yue is holding her head in pain in Appa's saddle. "Ugh..."

"Are you okay?"

"I feel faint."

"I feel it too. The Moon Spirit is in trouble."

"I owe the Moon Spirit my life."

"What do you mean?"

"When I was born I was very sick and very weak. Most babies cry when they're born but I was born as if I were asleep. My eyes closed. Our healers did everything they could. They told my mother and father I was going to die. My father pleaded with the spirits to save me... that night, beneath the full moon, he brought me to the oasis and placed me in the pond. My dark hair turned white, I opened my eyes and began to cry – and they knew I would live. That's why my mother named me Yue, for the moon."

…

"I am a legend now! The Fire Nation will for generations tell stories about the great Zhao who darkened the moon! They will call me Zhao the Conqueror! Zhao the Moon Slayer! ZHAO THE INVINCIBLE!"

At this moment Momo jumps onto Zhao's head and starts pulling at his face and chittering.

"Huh! Get it off!"

Momo flies off as the guards surround Zhao to help him. He lands on an outstretched arm – Aang's arm. Appa has landed and the kids square off against Zhao and his men.

"Don't bother!"

Zhao zooms backward to show the knife he is holding the the bag with the Moon Spirit in it. Aang drops his staff and raises his hands in surrender.

"Zhao! Don't!"

"It's my destiny... to destroy the Moon... and the Water Tribe."

"Destroying the moon won't just hurt the Water Tribe. It will hurt everyone – including you. Without the moon, everything would fall out of balance. You have no idea what kind of chaos that would unleash on the world."

"He is right, Zhao!" Iroh said.

"General Iroh, why am I not surprised to discover your treachery?

"I'm no traitor, Zhao, the Fire Nation needs the moon too. We all depend on the balance. Whatever you do to that spirit I'll unleash on you ten-fold! LET IT GO, NOW!"

Iroh and Zhao lock eyes for a moment, then Zhao falters, lowering the bag. He kneels and releases the fish back into the water. The red light of the moon vanishes, replaced by its normal color. Zhao's face is quickly overtaken by a look of madness and desperation. With a cry of rage he stands and smites the water with a blast of fire. The Avatar looks up to witness the moon wink out of existence.

Iroh springs instantly to the attack. Crossing the foot bridge, Iroh fires blast after blast. Zhao blocks one blasts and backs away while Iroh expertly dispatches Zhao's four guards. Zhao looks on in horror as his men are wiped out by the aging General with such ease and precision. He flees.

Iroh is standing over the guards who struggle to get up, then back to the pond where the black fish swims frantically and white, a huge gash in its side, floats. Iroh gently lifts the white fish from the water, an expression of sadness on his face. The guards are now gone.

"There's no hope now. It's over."

"No, it's not over."

Aang walks forward into the pond. Katara moves to follow, but she is stilled by a motion to halt from Iroh. Katara, Ari, Iroh, Cadi, Yue and Sokka looking at Aang. He stands in the middle of the pond, arms in prayer. He looks down at the black fish, whose eyes and white mark on his spine begin to glow white. Aang is then seen in profile, his feet in the pond which now glows bright white. Then he drops into the pond as if the bottom had fallen out of it and he disappears.

The water in the pool around the oasis itself begins to glow a deep blue veined with white. The glow spreads from behind the citadel to encompass the entire citadel area of the city. A huge, incandescent blue wave rushes under the footbridge as if some huge creature were moving underneath it. Appa stands on the oasis, but he is dwarfed by the creature that rises from the pool, the citadel and the city visible beyond it.

The blue, white veined creature is a huge fish like being. At its center is a blue white bubble in which we can see Aang, who spreads his arms wide. A moment later, the Ocean Spirit, for this is truly he in communion with the Avatar, duplicates the motion. The Ocean Spirit towers over the citadel, its arms still spread wide, its blue spirit lighting the city like a beacon. The Spirit begins to move down into the city. Master Pakku and his water benders instantly bow to the floor in honor of their god. Across the canal, some Fire Nation soldiers raise their spears in defiance, but are swept away by a wall of water sent by the Ocean Spirit. Aang, flailing his arms about, is directing the power of the Ocean Spirit against the violators of the Moon Spirit and the Water Tribe City.

Fire Nation tanks fire blasts of fire at the Ocean Spirit, but they are absorbed with no effect. The soldiers and tanks are washed away as if they were toys. The Ocean Spirit passes by the Water Tribe citizens who make obeisance to their lord. The Fire Nation army in full retreat, trying desperately to escape the vengeance of a living Spirit. The Ocean Spirit reaches the main canal in front of the third wall and melts into it.

…

Zhao is running over a foot bridge somewhere in the city. He exits onto a parapet an is almost hit by a blast of fire that hits the wall in front of him. As the smoke clears, Zhao looks up to see Zuko on the wall on the tier up above him.

"You're alive?"

"You tried to have me killed!"

Zuko launches a few fire blasts at Zhao with a cry of anguish, but his target dodges, rolling along the parapet wall.

"Yes, I did. You're the Blue Spirit – and enemy of the Fire Nation!"

"It doesn't matter if he is the Blue Spirit, you destroyed all balance we had left." Cadi said from the other side of Zhao.

"You freed the Avatar!"

"I had no choice!"

Zuko continues his attack firing volley after volley at Zhao, who breaks them with his hands held together in a wedge in front of him. As the blasts subside, Zhao drops his smoking cloak to the ground.

"You should have chosen to accept your failure – your disgrace! Then, at least you could have lived!"

Zhao returns fire. They trade volleys as the fight rages back and forth in the darkness. At one point Zuko is able to exploit a moment when Zhao leaves his chest unguarded. Zuko blasts him and Zhao falls off the parapet wall onto the tier below.

…

"It's too late. It's dead."

"You have been touched by the Moon Spirit. Some of its life is in you!" Iroh said to Yue in wonder.

"Yes, you're right. It gave me life. Maybe I can give it back."

She gets up and goes to the pond's edge.

"No! You don't have to do that!"

"It's my duty, Sokka."

"I won't let you! Your father told me to protect you!"

"I have to do this."

She walks to Iroh, who holds the dead fish in his hands. She puts her palms over the Moon Spirit which begins to glow. She closes her eyes for the last time, exhales a final breath, and falls over into Sokka's arms.

"NO!"

He places his hands on her cheek and looks away.

"She's gone." He hugs her body tightly.

Her body glows briefly and disappears. The fish in Iroh's hands glow and he drops back in the water. It begins to swim in the pond. The pond glows white as they look on and a ghostly rises from it. It coalesces into Yue's form, but now she is dressed in white. Her hair floats around.

"Goodbye, Sokka. I will always be with you."

She kisses him, their hands on each other's faces. She fades away, but in the sky, the moon shines bright."

The Ocean Spirit looks up to see the moon alive once again. Instantly, Aang begins to wilt inside the creature, which dissipates into the ocean. The Spirit's essence flows back to the wall and deposits Aang atop it. There his glows leaves him as he puts his hand to the side of his head, spent with the effort.

Zuko and Zhao continuing to battle on a foot bridge over a canal. They trade blows, but a series of direct hits from Zuko lays the Admiral flat. As Zhao tries to get up, he sees the moon over Zuko's shoulder.

"It can't be!"

The essence of the Ocean Spirit approaches fast and coalesces around the bridge. It grabs Zhao and begins to pull him off the bridge. Zhao struggles and Zuko reaches out for him.

"Take my hand!"

Zhao tries to reach for it for a moment, but then draws back, an expression of hate on his face. The Ocean Spirit drags Zhao under the water and disappears.

...

"I've decided to go to the South Pole. Some other benders and healers want to join me." Turning to face Katara. "It's time we helped rebuild our sister tribe."

"What about Aang? He still needs to learn water bending."

"Well, then he better get used to calling you "Master Katara."

…

"The Spirits gave me a vision when Yue was born. I saw... a beautiful, brave young woman...become the Moon Spirit. I knew this day would come."

"You must be proud."

"So proud. And sad."

...

"I'm surprised, Prince Zuko, surprised that you are not at this moment trying to capture the Avatar."

"I'm tired."

"Then you should rest. A man needs his rest."

Iroh stands as Zuko lies down. He looks up into the sky, a pained look on his face. He closes his eyes.

…

Momo jumps up and Sokka puts an arm on Aang's shoulder. With a rumble, Appa rises from below. He floats patiently, awaiting his comrades so they can depart as the course of events pushes them all ever onward to their destinies.

Appa, Momo, Aang, Katara, Ari, Sokka and Cadi all look out onto the Northern Water Tribe City as the Sun rises once more.

…

"Iroh is a traitor and your brother Zuko is a failure. I have a task for you...


End file.
